Gane Adjusts Strategy After Early Injury
Ciryl Gane defeated Alexander Volkov by split decision in their heavyweight rematch in Las Vegas on December 7, 2024. Gane later said he injured his foot early in the fight, and X-rays he shared showed damage to his big toe and two metatarsals. The injury and the disputed scorecards shaped the post-fight discussion.
Gane’s foot injury
In his post-fight interview, Gane said he hurt his toes during the opening round. He later shared X-rays on social media and said the injury involved his big toe and two metatarsals. MMA Fighting reported on the X-rays and Gane’s injury update. Gane said the foot injury affected his movement and that he was unhappy with his performance.
A different tactical approach
Gane used more wrestling and grappling than in many of his earlier fights. MMA Fighting’s event report described the grappling exchanges in the rematch. The result and his injury are documented, but the reporting does not establish that the injury alone caused Gane to change tactics.
The split decision
Two judges scored the fight 29–28 for Gane, while the third scored it 29–28 for Volkov. The promotion’s official scorecards record the split decision. Volkov publicly disagreed with the result, and the decision drew debate after the event.
Gane left with the official win despite the foot injury and a close, contested score.
Sources
- MMA Fighting: Gane shares X-rays after the fight
- MMA Fighting: Gane–Volkov result and fight recap
- Official scorecards
Sources
Tags: MMA
