The interim UFC heavyweight title is on the line on Saturday night in Houston, Texas, as Derrick Lewis takes on Ciryl Gane in a bout to solidify the number-one contender to face undisputed champion Francis Ngannou later this year.
With Ngannou and the UFC seemingly at an impasse in their attempts to set up the Cameroonian’s first title defence, the UFC has pivoted to an interim title fight, with Lewis returning to headline in his home town against Gane, an undefeated rising star and flag-bearer for French MMA.
Ahead of fight night, let’s take a look at the key narratives in the main event.
THE FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT
The fight may have an interim belt attached to it, but in reality the presence of UFC silverware in this matchup is little more than ceremonial and promotional.
The UFC’s ideal scenario would have seen Lewis challenging Ngannou on Saturday night. But, with the UFC seemingly unable to get on the same page as Ngannou’s camp, the UFC has instead drafted in Ngannou’s his former teammate from his old MMA Factory gym in Paris, Gane.
In order to keep the bout at the top of a pay-per-view card, an interim title was added, and, while the card originally also had a women’s bantamweight title bout between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena, the heavyweight bout was always the headline bout for the event.
It means that, while Ngannou is on the sidelines watching and waiting for his first fighting assignment as champion, the UFC will crown an interim champion with Lewis and Gane facing off at the Toyota Center on Saturday night.
