Joe Rogan defended Ciryl Gane after he retired former UFC champion with controversial win

Joe Rogan defended Gane after KO win over Junior dos Santos

After three wins in a row after joining the premier promotion in 2019, Gane was matched up against former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos at UFC 256 in 2020.

In his first three fights, Gane surprisingly scored two submission wins, despite his striking background, and came into his fight against ‘Cigano’ wanting to show off his striking skills.

Early in the fight, it became clear that the clash would take place on the feet, with neither fighter showing any desire to take the fight to the ground.

Although a home-run shot wasn’t landed by either man in the first five minutes, it wasn’t for the lack of trying, and with just 20 seconds left in the first round, dos Santos landed a big left hook followed by an overhand right which had Gane retreating.

In the second round, Gane began to show off his arsenal of kicks, landing several big leg kicks to the lead leg of the Brazilian, slowing him down massively.

And then midway through the round, the Frenchman landed a stiff jab which sent the former champion wobbling back to the cage, which marked the beginning of the end.

Gane then tied dos Santos up in a clinch where he landed a huge elbow which dropped dos Santos and subsequent ground-and-pound was enough to get the fight stopped.

Despite that, ‘Cigano’ complained almost immediately after the fight that some of the finishing blows landed to the back of his head which would’ve been illegal.

“It looks like it was (the back of the head),” Joe Rogan immediately reacted on commentary.

“But I mean, that’s also because he’s ducking and moving away from the shots. Yeah, that’s really behind the ear. That’s really more the back of the ear, where it landed it looked legal to me,” Rogan continued to claim.

dos Santos went on to label Gane a ‘dirty fighter’

dos Santos’ loss to Gane marked the end of his UFC career and he briefly retired following what was his fourth loss in a row in the promotion.

A few years removed from their fight, Gane scored another impressive KO win over Tai Tuivasa at UFC Paris, and after watching the fight, dos Santos labeled Gane a ‘dirty fighter’.

“What a dirty fighter this Gane is. Again hitting the back of the head. Now what will those ‘fight experts’ say about it?” dos Santos said on X.