Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw don’t see anything wrong with how Ciryl Gane fights.
Gane was recently elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion status with incumbent titleholder Tom Aspinall out for a prolonged period of time due to injury. The decision came with much controversy, as it was Gane who put Aspinall on the shelf when he poked Aspinall in the eyes during their UFC 321 title fight in October 2025. Their bout ended in a no-contest and Aspinall has since undergone multiple eye surgeries,
with Gane later defending his interim title at UFC White House against Alex Pereira and then being promoted to undisputed champion in Aspinall’s absence.
On Cruz’s Love & War podcast, he and Dillashaw defended Gane, who has frequently been called out for employing questionable tactics.
“I always say this, this is my take on Ciryl Gane poking eyes,” Cruz said. “I haven’t had a lot of eye pokes in my career, I haven’t had a lot of groin shots in my career.”
“Because you don’t stand in front of someone,” Dillashaw said.
“Nailed it,” Cruz said. “I always said if you can poke me in my f*cking eye, I’m doing something wrong. You can punch me in my head. Trying to my head is so f*cking hard, if you can poke me in the eye, that’s my problem, so we agree on that and I think that’s why he’s not a cheater.”
Even Gane’s win over Pereira was heavily scrutinized. Gane rocked Pereira with a clean punch, but caught him with a few illegal blows to the back of the head during the fight-ending flurry. Pereira has been vocal about the back-of-the-head shots affecting the outcome of the fight and blames referee Herb Dean for allowing the fouls to occur without intervention or penalty.
Dillashaw—who knows a thing or two about breaking the rules having forfeited the UFC bantamweight title in 2019 and received a two-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance—thinks much of the criticism aimed at Gane has more to do with perception than any malice on the part of “Bon Gamin” or Dean.
“I don’t think he is [a cheater],” Dillashaw said. “It’s gotten blown out of the water since the Pereira fight. Obviously, everyone’s a Pereira fan and they wanted him to win and they want to call the illegal blows. He wasn’t going for it on purpose and Pereira’s moving his head as he’s hitting those. I think Herb Dean’s unfortunately catching a lot of flack as well, too.
“It’s so crazy to go to a fight and everyone boo Herb Dean. I feel bad for the guy. I don’t think [Gane] is a purposeful cheater at all.”
TOP STORIES
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Honor. Fedor Emelianenko questions Dana White’s integrity as a businessman.
Path. Charles Oliveira sees Alex Pereira getting back to his knockout ways against Sergei Pavlovich.
Encore. Tom Nolan inspired to deliver big performance at UFC Vegas 123 after Alexander Volkanovski’s latest championship effort.
Global. The GFL announces a handful of signings as it gears up for December debut.
Back. Jake Paul set to make boxing return.
VIDEO STEW
Between the Links.
Mike Heck chats with UFC Vegas 123 headliner Tom Nolan.
Canelo vs. Mbili press conference.
Usman and Cejudo weigh in on lightweight title picture.
GSP things.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
You had to be there.
Hall of Fame.
Perspective.
Prayers up for Mayhem.
Do not sign me up.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-4) vs. Johnny Walker (23-10, 1 NC); UFC Vegas 124, Nov. 7
Jacqueline Cavalcanti (10-2) vs. Michelle Montague (8-0); UFC Qatar, Nov. 21
Dom Mar Fan (9-3) vs. Nikolas Motta (15-6, 1 NC); UFC Qatar, Nov. 21
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Rest in peace, Patrick Stewart.
EXIT POLL
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