Ciryl Gane Dismantles Derrick Lewis, Captures Interim Heavyweight Title in UFC 265 Headliner

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Ciryl Gane was on another level.

The undefeated Frenchman captured the interim Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title, as he put away Derrick Lewis with punches in the third round of their UFC 265 headliner on Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston. Having been effectively drawn and quartered in his hometown, Lewis (25-8, 16-6 UFC) succumbed to blows 4:11 into Round 3.

Gane (10-0, 7-0 UFC) chipped away at “The Black Beast” with kicks to the legs and body, powerful jabs, occasional combinations and slashing knees from the clinch. He flummoxed Lewis with routine stance switches, controlled the center of the cage and went about dissecting one of the most feared men in the sport’s history. Gane finally broke down the former Legacy Fighting Championship titleholder with leg kicks in the third round, forced him to turtle at the base of the cage after landing a sweeping left hook to his already damaged eye and closed the show with a burst of unanswered hammerfists.

The setback snapped Lewis’ four-fight winning streak.

Brilliant Aldo Handles Munhoz

Former UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting champion Jose Aldo paired mesmerizing combinations with a surgical jab and crushing low kicks, as he took a unanimous decision from American Top Team’s Pedro Munhoz in the three-round bantamweight co-main event. All three judges scored it the same: 30-27 for Aldo (30-7, 12-6 UFC).

While he needed a round or so to get going, once Aldo hit his stride, it was a sight to behold. Munhoz (19-6, 9-6 UFC) did what he could to keep pace, but the skill, speed and experience disparities were too much for him to overcome. Aldo zeroed in on the body and head with accurate punches and later in the fight turned his attention to the legs, battering the onetime Resurrection Fighting Alliance titleholder with some of the trademark low kicks for which he was known in his prime.

Aldo has recorded two straight wins since his July 2020 loss to Petr Yan.

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Luque Choke Dismisses Chiesa

Cerrado MMA and Sanford MMA export Vicente Luque submitted “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 15 winner Michael Chiesa with a brabo choke in the first round of their featured welterweight pairing. Luque (21-7-1, 14-3 UFC) slammed the door 3:25 into Round 1, handing “Maverick” his first loss at 170 pounds.

Chiesa (18-5, 11-5 UFC) opened a cut under the New Jersey native’s left eye with a crisp two-punch combination, secured a takedown and transitioned to the back, where he hunted the rear-naked choke and made a pass at a neck crank. Neither of his attempts were successful. Luque escaped into top position, clamped down on the choke during the ensuing scramble and prompted the tapout soon after.

The 29-year-old Luque will carry a four-fight winning streak into his next assignment.

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 265 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Revitalized Torres Subdues Hill

Rapid-fire punching combinations and an active kicking game spurred “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 20 quarterfinalist Tecia Torres to a unanimous decision over former Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder Angela Hill in a three-round women’s strawweight feature. Scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28, all for Torres (13-5, 9-5 UFC).

Hill (13-10, 8-9 UFC), who had hoped to avenge a June 2015 defeat to “The Tiny Tornado,” enjoyed little in terms of meaningful success. Torres handled her in the clinch and routinely beat her to the draw, often answering her single shots with two, three and sometimes four strikes of her own. She punctuated a comprehensive performance in the closing seconds of the third round, where she executed a takedown, maintained top position and applied her ground-and-pound.

Torres, 31, has rattled off three consecutive victories.

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Song Rides Late Surge, Edges Kenney

Team Alpha Male’s Yadong Song rebounded from his March 6 defeat to Kyler Phillips with a split decision over former Tachi Palace Fights champion Casey Kenney in a three-round bantamweight showcase. Judges Sal D’Amato and Chris Lee struck 29-28 and 30-27 scorecards for Song, while Kerry Hatley saw it 29-28 for Kenney.

Song (17-5-1, 6-1-1 UFC) countered effectively throughout, piled up points with some exquisite body work and found another gear when he needed it most. Neither man truly separated himself from the other through two competitive rounds. Song hit the accelerator in the third, zeroed in on the American’s body with punches and kicks, staggered him with a right hand and managed to stay upright before conceding a takedown in the waning seconds.

Kenney (16-4-1, 5-3 UFC) has lost back-to-back bouts for the first time in his 21-fight career.

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