Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane Prediction and Odds (Wrong Fighter Favored at UFC 270)

UFC's first pay-per-view of 2022 goes down on Saturday night at UFC 270 in Anaheim, California.

The event will be headlined by the heavyweight championship bout between heavyweight champ Fancis Ngannou and interim belt holder Ciryl Gane.

'Bon Gamin' is undefeated in the UFC and won the interim championship Derrick Lewis this past summer. However, Ngannou is the class of the division until further notice and will look to remind the UFC world why with another victory on Saturday.

Here are the odds for this title fight courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane Odds, Total

Moneyline:

• Ngannou: +130
• Gane: -150

Total: 2.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane Prediction and Pick

Gane is the flavor of the week, but I believe he is a mispriced favorite against the monster that is Francis Ngannou.

While Gane has the more recent result, a finish over Lewis that became a title fight because of contract issues with Ngannou, it's 'The Predator' that has the more impressive wins including a vicious knockout of then-champion Stipe Miocic last year.

Ngannou will present a size advantage that Gane has never seen in the octagon. This will be the first time that Gane will have a shorter reach than his opponent, meaning that 'Bon Gamin' will have to come forward and look to close the distance. Ngannou has an 83" reach while Gane has an 81" reach, per UFCStats.com

If he stands and throws strikes, Ngannou has the power and durability to finish the interim champ in short order. While Gane has dragged fights into championship rounds, this will not work with his size disadvantage and the fact that Ngannou has shown a developing grappling game after defending a Miocic takedown in his last fight.

If Gane tries to grapple or shoot a takedown, he can be in a dangerous position, look what happened to Miocic seconds after his TD attempt.

One point of caution I have with betting Ngannou is that he has a lengthy negotiation and contract dispute with Dana White and the UFC. The champion has discussed crossing over into boxing against Tyson Fury in recent weeks, so his motivation could come into question heading into a title fight.

However, I still believe that if 'The Predator' is able to make contact, he's going to finish Gane. I can't pass up the price on Ngannou in a fight I make him a considerable favorite.

PICK: Francis Ngannou +130