Ciryl Gane’s Triumph and Tragedy: From UFC Paris Victory to Home Burglary
Ciryl Gane, the former UFC interim heavyweight champion, had a night to remember at UFC Paris on September 2nd. Headlining the event in his homeland, Gane delivered a highlight-reel performance, securing a second-round TKO victory over Serghei Spivac. The cheers of his fellow countrymen at the Accor Arena in Paris filled the air as he reclaimed his fighting glory.
However, the euphoria from his triumphant return was short-lived. Later that very same day, Gane received devastating news – his home in Nogent-sur-Marne had been ransacked by heartless thieves during the event.
@ciryl_gane + © Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
“It’s not only my country, I suppose you have this everywhere the world, but yeah, in my country, unfortunately, when you are a little bit famous now — you see MMA in France, everybody talks about that, and everybody can see how much I can win. So yeah, he did a great job because he waited [until my] fight, the last fight,” Gane revealed during an interview on The MMA Hour.
Initial estimates valued the stolen items at over $160,000, including a Rolex watch and various items of jewelry. Reports indicated that the thieves forcibly entered Gane’s residence through the front door. To date, no suspect has been apprehended, but law enforcement officials are actively pursuing leads.
When asked about the financial loss, Gane could only respond with a sigh,
“Too much, my man. I was not focused [on how much]. Too much.”
While the incident was undoubtedly tragic, Gane is aware that it could have taken a far more dangerous turn. Thankfully, his wife and daughters were not at home during the break-in, preventing a potentially life-threatening situation. Gane only learned about the burglary after his fight with Spivac had concluded, thanks to his wife’s discretion.
“My wife saw that at first, because he did it around 8 p.m. [right before the fight], and so she went to the babysitter, she dropped the girls [off] and she came back, and when she came back she found all of the [chaos] at the home,” Gane recounted. “But she kept that [to herself], and after, when we went to bed after the fight, she told me unfortunately. But she did really well because I saw nothing, I saw nothing about [it before the fight].”
“This can be really traumatizing for the girls if they [saw it happening],” he added. “You get hurt sometimes, [there are] some stories about that. It’s not fun. It’s really not fun. So, yes, my wife has some traumatizing [aftereffects from the break-in], but she’s OK, and we’re going to fix that.”
Gane acknowledged that the most significant lesson he’s learned from this ordeal is the need to prioritize the safety and security of his family. He has taken steps to ensure that such a violation of his home and peace of mind doesn’t occur again. However, he also admitted that maintaining a low profile is becoming increasingly challenging as his fame in France continues to grow as a prominent UFC heavyweight contender.
“It’s good, that’s great, the people are really kind, but now you see with all of this, I’m done with it, I’m finished with it,” Gane expressed about fame. “At the beginning, it’s really cool. At the really beginning, it’s so cool. But now I’m done with this, man. If I can cross [the street anonymously], that’s better, that’s way better now. … Now it’s different, now I just want to be in a quiet place, calm, can chill with my family. But now it’s difficult. Unfortunately it’s difficult to go to the school with my daughters, because you have all of this shit that can happen after, like the people [that robbed my house] during my fight at home.”
In the rollercoaster world of MMA, Ciryl Gane has faced victory and heartbreak within a matter of hours. As he continues his journey in the octagon, he remains committed to protecting his loved ones and finding solace in the midst of newfound fame.
