Artem Vakhitov, who has trained with Ciryl Gane, shared his prediction for Gane's upcoming fight against Alex Pereira. Vakhitov gives Gane a significant 70-30 advantage, citing Gane's complete skill set including speed, endurance, tactical thinking, classical kickboxing technique, and excellent sense of distance. According to Vakhitov, the key factor will be Gane's psychology, and if he enters the fight aggressive and angry, Vakhitov believes he will be successful. The prediction highlights Gane's technical advantages based on firsthand training experience.
Artem Vakhitov, a training partner of Ciryl Gane, has gone public with a bold prediction ahead of Gane's upcoming clash with Alex Pereira, giving the French heavyweight a 70-30 edge over the reigning champion.
Vakhitov, a 35-year-old Russian kickboxer who competes under the Kuzbass Muay Thai Federation, carries a 3-1 professional record and brings notable striking credentials to his assessment. His 85 percent striking accuracy and a output of 3.88 significant strikes per minute reflect a fighter with precise, technical stand-up skills — exactly the kind of training partner whose observations on Gane's striking development carry weight.
Gane, 36, enters the fight ranked second in the heavyweight division with a 14-2 record. The Frenchman out of MMA Factory stands six-foot-four with an 81-inch reach and lands 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy. He also adds a modest grappling dimension, averaging 0.68 takedowns and 0.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Vakhitov cited Gane's speed, endurance, tactical intelligence, classical kickboxing technique, and sense of distance as the foundations of his advantage, drawing directly on firsthand experience sparring with him.
Pereira, nicknamed Poatan, is the current light heavyweight champion at 38 years old, carrying a 13-4 record for Brazil's Teixeira MMA and Fitness. He stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and produces 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy — numbers that make him one of the most dangerous strikers in the sport regardless of division.
Why it matters
- Vakhitov's prediction carries insider credibility given his direct training experience with Gane
- A win would position Gane as a two-division threat or heavyweight title contender depending on the bout's context
- Both fighters share near-identical physical dimensions, making Gane's technical refinements and Vakhitov's cited psychological edge potentially decisive factors
Vakhitov stressed that psychology will be the decisive element, arguing that an aggressive, hungry version of Gane is the one most likely to succeed on fight night.
