Ciryl Gane expects to be out until 2023 due to broken hand

Ciryl Gane’s 2022 has come to an end, at least as far as competition.

The former UFC heavyweight title challenger suffered a broken hand in his knockout win against Tai Tuivasa earlier this month at UFC Fight Night 209 in Paris. Gane (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) revealed the news on Friday afternoon.

The French fighter expects to be out for the rest of 2022, but vows to come back with force next year.

“So I’ll be out of action for a few months, guys, to heal my hand that broke during the fight with Tai,” Gane wrote on Twitter. “I will use that time to heal some other injuries as well and come back stronger than ever in 2023. I’m coming back for that belt, and I’m not going ANYWHERE.”

So I'll be out of action for a few months guys, to heal my hand that broke during the fight with Tai. I will use that time to heal some other injuries as well and come back stronger than ever in 2023

I'm coming back for that belt, and I'm not going ANYWHERE pic.twitter.com/V1VvLZtBVk

— Ciryl Gane (@ciryl_gane) September 9, 2022

The win over Tuivasa put Gane back in the win column. He entered the bout on the heels of a title defeat against champion Francis Ngannou back in January at UFC 270, a fight he lost by unanimous decision.

The loss to Ngannou is the only defeat on Gane’s record. The 32-year-old holds notable wins over Derrick Lewis. Junior Dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, among others.