UFC 270 was an emotional rollercoaster for Fernand Lopez, but that didn’t stop him from respecting his adversaries.
Lopez’s star student Ciryl Gane (10-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) fell short in his pursuit to unify the heavyweight belt with his former teammate Francis Ngannou (17-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) in the main event Saturday. Despite the intense buildup, Lopez paid his respects to Ngannou and his head coach Eric Nicksick after the fight.
“Congratulations @xcmma @francisngannou & @eric_xcmma one of they bests in the game #ufc270🥊💥”
Lopez’s sentiments toward his former pupil Ngannou are well documented. Ngannou’s falling out with Lopez led to his departure from MMA Factory Paris and after Gane’s fast rise, Lopez found himself coaching against Ngannou.
After dropping Rounds 1 and 2 on two of the three judges’ scorecards, Ngannou rallied by using his grappling to defeat Gane, who perhaps cost himself the fight in Round 5 when he attempted a heel hook that lost him top position. UFC 270 marked Gane’s first loss, but a respectful Nicksick responded to Lopez with some encouraging words.
“Respect, Coach. Safe travels home, and good luck with your team and your fighters. You guys are doing an exceptional job! 🤝”
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