Ciryl Gane has brought kickboxer Artem Vakhitov into his training camp as he prepares to face Alex Pereira at UFC White House. Vakhitov is particularly significant because he was the last person to defeat Pereira in kickboxing, achieving the victory in 2021. Gane is evidently looking to gain insights from the Russian fighter who managed to solve Pereira's striking game. This strategic preparation suggests Gane is studying every possible angle before challenging the current champion. The addition of Vakhitov to his camp indicates Gane is taking the threat of Pereira's striking very seriously.
Ciryl Gane has added Russian kickboxer Artem Vakhitov to his training camp as he prepares to challenge Alex Pereira at UFC White House on June 14, 2026. The move is a calculated one: Vakhitov is the last fighter to have handed Pereira a defeat in kickboxing, doing so in 2021.
Gane, known by his nickname "Bon Gamin," enters the fight ranked second in the heavyweight division with a professional MMA record of 14-2-0. The 36-year-old Frenchman, who trains out of MMA Factory, stands six-foot-four with an 81-inch reach and is one of the more technically refined strikers in the sport, landing 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy. He also contributes on the ground, averaging 0.68 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, brings a 13-4-0 record into the contest. The 38-year-old Brazilian, nicknamed "Poatan," matches Gane in height at six-foot-four and carries a 79-inch reach. He averages 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy, numbers that reflect the relentless offensive pressure that has defined his UFC run.
Vakhitov himself holds a 3-1-0 record and competes out of the Kuzbass Muay Thai Federation in Russia. The 35-year-old stands six-foot-one with a 75-inch reach and posted a striking accuracy of 85 percent in his MMA outings, suggesting a sharp and precise technical style.
Why it matters
- Vakhitov's firsthand experience against Pereira gives Gane a direct source of tactical intelligence on the champion's striking patterns.
- Gane's camp is treating Pereira's stand-up game as the primary threat, and recruiting a fighter who solved it once underlines that focus.
- A victory would make Gane a two-division contender who has beaten one of the UFC's most feared knockout artists.
Sunday, June 14, 2026
