UFC heavyweight contender explains why Ciryl Gane is better striker than Alex Pereira

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Zuffa LLC

Waldo Cortes-Acosta established himself as one of the leading names in the UFC heavyweight division after building an impressive 10-2 record inside the promotion.

The Dominican contender currently sits fourth in the heavyweight rankings, meaning his opinions carry considerable weight when discussing the elite names competing near the title picture.

That includes the highly anticipated clash between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, where Cortes-Acosta surprisingly believes the Frenchman holds the edge in striking ability.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta shares unpopular opinion about Ciryl Gane being a better striker than Alex Pereira

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Speaking to Home of Fight’s Jake Noecker, Cortes-Acosta explained why he believes Gane possesses a better striking skillset for mixed martial arts competition.

“Ciryl Gane [is the better striker], because he’s more versatile, he moves better, he’s more dynamic,” ‘Salsa Boy’ began by saying.

“His striking is for Martial Arts. Striking in Kickboxing is different. Ciryl Gane’s striking is more well-rounded.”

Despite that opinion, Pereira’s UFC statistics suggest his striking has produced far more dangerous results inside the Octagon throughout his championship career.

Gane only owns four knockout victories across 13 UFC appearances, while “Poatan” already recorded eight knockouts in 12 fights with the promotion.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta could move close to title shot at UFC 328

Cortes-Acosta now has an enormous opportunity awaiting him next Saturday when he faces second-ranked heavyweight Alexander Volkov at UFC 328.