On a Scale of 1 - 10 how much of Gane's UFC career was protected?

[SouthpawSouthernFist]

Well Francis had to fight Blaydes twice, and Gane didn't have to fight him at all. Didn't have to fight Tybura either. Or Oleinick.

So he avoided all the wrestlers, so I'd say 6/10. That's one of the main ways a prospect gets derailed.

 

[HeDidn'tWantTheFight]

Gane hadn't earned the Blaydes fight when the Rozenstruik one was scheduled. Blaydes was on the cusp of a title shot and Gane was ranked outside the top 10.

Blaydes was still recovering from Lewis knocking a couple years off his life when the Volkov fight was made.

If you saw Dana's reaction to the Roze fight, you'd know that he wasn't particularly excited about Gane afterwards. Doubt he would've tried to protect him.

 

[arcadeperfect]

JDS went through a murder's row to get his title shot. Gane's run to his title shot was kind of similar to Costa's.

To be fair there's not a lot of title runs that can compare with JDS's. The guy never had a single no name or freebie ever since he debuted in the UFC.

 

[Shaddows]

Do you believe he went through a murderers row before getting the title shot or do you believe he was matched up favorably against slow but heavy handed strikers?

Did he fight the best grapplers in the division?

I don't think he was protected as much as he was hurried up to the top because he looked so good, and they though he could replace Francis .. which he would have done easily (had he won).
It was a gamble by the UFC.