Ciryl Gane brings in Artem Vakhitov for Pereira camp

Ciryl Gane has added Russian kickboxing standout Artem Vakhitov to his training camp as he builds toward a June 14 showdown with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at UFC White House.

Vakhitov's presence carries clear tactical significance. He is the last fighter to defeat Pereira in a kickboxing contest, having handed him a loss in 2021, giving him first-hand experience of the champion's striking patterns and tendencies. The 35-year-old Russian, who trains out of the Kuzbass Muay Thai Federation, stands six-foot-one with a 75-inch reach and posts a striking accuracy of 85 percent across his combat sports career. His role in Gane's camp appears to be providing insight into how Pereira's striking game can be disrupted.

Gane, known as Bon Gamin, enters the fight ranked second in the heavyweight division with a 14-2 record. The 36-year-old Frenchman out of MMA Factory stands six-foot-four and carries an 81-inch reach. He lands 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy and supplements his striking with occasional grappling, averaging 0.68 takedowns per 15 minutes. His methodical, movement-based style has long drawn comparisons to the kind of technical kickboxing that Vakhitov represents.

Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, holds a 13-4 record and comes in at six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach. The 38-year-old Brazilian lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute and has built his UFC run almost entirely on his devastating stand-up power.

Why it matters

• Vakhitov is the only fighter in Pereira's recent history to solve his striking, making him a uniquely valuable sparring and strategy resource
• The addition signals Gane is approaching this fight as a striking chess match rather than looking to rely on grappling
• A win would mark a significant divisional shift, with Gane moving up to challenge for the light heavyweight title