Ciryl Gane’s heavyweight status has the support of the division’s consensus greatest of all time.

The French star is fast approaching his first defense of the heavyweight crown at UFC 334, which takes place this Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Gane will be challenged by Josh Hokit, having finally gained the undisputed crown following losses to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

There is some controversy behind ‘Bon Gamin’s’ champ status, after he sidelined predecessor Tom Aspinall with some egregious eye pokes at UFC 321. But Miocic neither thinks they were deliberate nor does he believe they take away from Gane’s legitimacy.

Who leaves UFC 334 as the heavyweight champion? 👑

Stipe Miocic backs Ciryl Gane as a worthy UFC heavyweight champion despite his controversies

After two failed attempts to become undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Gane’s third shot ended in disaster when Aspinall was unable to continue 13 months ago in Abu Dhabi.

Aspinall was poked in both eyes by the Frenchman, who has gained a reputation for fouling inside the Octagon.

In the Englishman’s absence, Gane knocked out Alex Pereira to become the interim champion. When Aspinall vacated the title following a setback in his recovery, ‘Bon Gamin’ was elevated.

Many are frustrated that Gane has been rewarded so handsomely despite being the reason Aspinall has been out for over a year, especially amid Pereira’s complaints about back-of-the-head strikes in his loss to the champ.

Legendary former two-time champion Stipe Miocic, however, insists the French star is worthy of his position on the heavyweight throne.

“I believe he deserves to be champion,” Miocic said during an interview with Casino.org.

“He was next up. He fought Tom and then was supposed to fight him again but then Tom’s injury happened. But I absolutely think so. He was in line and he was ranked highest. I believe he 100 percent deserves it.

“In regard to the eye poke, why would he do that in the fight? I think he was just doing what he was supposed to do, and I think it was an accidental poke,” Miocic continued. “Gane was in the driver’s seat and didn’t need to do anything reckless.

“He’s been performing at the top and he’s 100 percent next up to be the man. I believe he deserves it and he’s a tough dude.”

Saturday’s UFC 334 main event between Gane and Hokit will be just the second undisputed heavyweight title fight since Miocic’s final fight in November 2024.

Miocic was finished by Jon Jones before the Rochester native’s inactivity and Aspinall’s injury left things up in the air at heavyweight.