Video: Derrick Lewis vs Ciryl Gane staredown at UFC 265 pre-fight press conference

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White, had to be talked into letting Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane get as close as they did for their staredown at the UFC 265 pre-fight press conference (watch the presser here).

Lewis (25-7) and Gane (9-0) went toe-to-toe at Thursday’s face off ahead of UFC 265, which will take place inside Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on Sat., Aug. 7, 2021, via ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV). “Black Beast” wanted to get nice and close to his opponent; however, White was hesitant to let it happen after various physical altercations at face offs.

The UFC boss eventually caved and everything went off without a hitch.

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TWO TITLES UP FOR GRABS! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) makes its highly anticipated return to Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sat., Nov. 11, 2023, with a re-worked pay-per-view (PPV) main card. In the ESPN+-streamed main event, former 205-pound roost-ruler, Jiri Prochazka, will lock horns with ex-Middleweight kingpin, Alex Pereira, for the promotion’s vacant Light Heavyweight title. In UFC 295’s co-main event, top-ranked Heavyweight contenders, Sergei Pavlovich (No. 2) and Tom Aspinall (No. 4), will collide for the interim strap after division champion, Jon Jones, was injured with a torn pectoral muscle and forced to withdraw (video).

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The winner of Lewis (No. 2) vs. Gane (No. 3) will be the rightful challenger to UFC Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s crown. Other notable bouts on the card include ranked bantamweights Jose Aldo vs. Pedro Munhoz in the co-headliner, plus Michael Chiesa vs. Vicente Luque, Tecia Torres vs. Angela Hill and Song Yadong vs. Casey Kenney.

For the rest of the UFC 265 fight card and PPV line up click here.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 265 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN2/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 265: “Lewis vs. Gane” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.