UFC 270 talking points: Francis Ngannou proves he is the full package

Ngannou made the first defence of his UFC heavyweight world title with victory over Gane

The UFC's first pay-per-view event of the year is complete with Francis Ngannou cementing his status as the world's dominant heavyweight mixed martial artist.

The champion showed depth to his skillset as he used his wrestling skills to earn a unanimous decision victory over interim champion Ciryl Gane and unify the titles.

In the co-main event Deiveson Figueiredo reclaimed the UFC flyweight title, outpointing Brandon Moreno in the third fight of their epic rivalry.

Now the dust has settled in Anaheim, California, BBC Sport looks at five things we have learned from UFC 270.

Ngannou is the full package

With five straight knockouts, Cameroon's Ngannou, 35, went into the fight against former team-mate Gane with the reputation as the most powerful puncher in the UFC.

France's Gane, 31, meanwhile, has earned plaudits for his precise technical striking, movement and speed.

The general consensus in the build-up to the bout was it would go one of two ways; Ngannou by knockout or Gane by decision.

It came as a surprise then when it was Ngannou with his arm raised at the end of the fight by way of a decision, after controlling Gane from round three with his wrestling.

It showed a side to his game we have only seen glimpses of before - and coupled with his devastating knockout power - presents a formidable champion.

Gane has a bright future

Before facing Ngannou, Gane had racked up a 10-0 record in MMA after only turning pro three years ago.

For the first half of the fight in Anaheim, it looked like he would be extending that record.

With a mixture of feints, leg kicks, body kicks and movement, he kept Ngannou at bay, nullifying the threat of the champion.

It wasn't until Ngannou drastically altered his game plan and started taking Gane down that the momentum started to shift.

It's tactical decisions like this which can sometimes separate the good fighters from the great ones, and something Gane will get better at with experience.

He can learn from the fight and come back stronger and wiser in the octagon - much like Ngannou did himself following his defeat by Derrick Lewis in 2018.

There's nothing like a heavyweight world title fight

Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier; Lennox Lewis v Mike Tyson; Tyson Fury v Deontay Wilder - when two heavyweights clash for the biggest prize in boxing, the world takes notice.

That excitement translates to MMA, where a number of celebrities from around the globe got invested in the action at UFC 270, both inside the arena and on social media.

Ngannou has adopted the nickname as the 'Baddest Man on the Planet', but watching on from ringside was the original owner of the title, former heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson.

Mike Tyson reigned in the boxing ring in the 1980s, winning his first 37 fights in a little over four years

Television stars Mark Wahlberg and Mario Lopez were also at the venue

And Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson also made an appearance

The President of Cameroon Paul Biya was also watching. He sent his congratulations to Ngannou on Twitter following his victory.

The heavyweight division's future is unclear

Gane's future undoubtedly lies within the UFC, but for Ngannou the next move is obscure.

Ngannou's title defence represented the final bout of an eight-fight contract, but with the win a 'champion's clause' has been initiated which ties him to one more fight.

He has, however, repeatedly voiced his requests to be paid more by the UFC and has publicly pursued a boxing bout with heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury - a move which may have affected his relationship with UFC President Dana White.

White did not present Ngannou with the heavyweight title as he traditionally does following the bout and did not attend the post-fight news conference.

Should Ngannou decide to honour the final fight of his contract there are a few possible options.

One is the prospect of light-heavyweight great Jon Jones moving up to heavyweight to challenge for the title - a move Jones appears keen on.

Another is a third fight with Stipe Miocic. The American won their first title fight in 2018 with Ngannou avenging the loss last March.

Finally there is the prospect of a rematch with Gane - a move the Frenchman is keen on.

Without Ngannou, it's likely two of Gane, Jones and Miocic would compete for the vacated heavyweight title.

Figueiredo and Moreno's rivalry is one of the UFC's greatest

Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo have shared more than an hour together inside the octagon

Figueiredo's win over Moreno to reclaim the UFC flyweight world title leaves their rivalry in the balance.

With one win apiece and a draw, there remains the possibility of a fourth and final chapter to conclude their gripping series of fights for the flyweight title.

Never before have two athletes shared the octagon four times for a championship in the UFC.

Following victory, Brazil's Figueiredo, 34, called for a fourth fight against Moreno's in his home country, Mexico.

Moreno, 28, is a vastly popular figure with his infectious personality winning many fans over during his title run.

Figueiredo meanwhile, played the villain in fight week, repeatedly berating Moreno and was met with boos by sections of the crowd following his victory.

A decider for the flyweight title between these two in front of a raucous Mexican crowd would be headlining material for the UFC.