Alex Pereira will receive a guaranteed $10 million purse for his fight against Ciryl Gane, making it the largest guaranteed payout in UFC history. Dan Hooker has signed a new eight-fight contract with the UFC. Pereira also launched his own creatine brand ahead of the event.
Alex Pereira is set to earn a guaranteed $10 million purse for his upcoming heavyweight clash against Ciryl Gane, a figure that represents the largest guaranteed payout in UFC history. The news broke June 13, 2026, alongside confirmation that lightweight contender Dan Hooker has signed a new eight-fight contract with the promotion.
Pereira, known as "Poatan," holds a 13-4 record and is the reigning light heavyweight champion. The 38-year-old Brazilian out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at a 62 percent accuracy rate, making him one of the most efficient strikers in the sport. He is moving up to heavyweight for the contest against Gane.
Ciryl Gane enters the fight ranked second in the heavyweight division with a 14-2 record. The 36-year-old Frenchman, nicknamed "Bon Gamin," trains out of MMA Factory and brings elite striking volume to match his frame — six-foot-four and 193 centimeters tall, with an 81-inch reach. He lands 5.29 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 61 percent accuracy, numbers that rank among the best in the heavyweight division.
Dan Hooker's new eight-fight deal secures the New Zealand lightweight's future with the UFC well into the coming years. "The Hangman" carries a 24-14 record and sits fifth in the lightweight rankings at age 36. Fighting out of City Kickboxing, the switch-stance striker lands 4.82 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy across a six-foot frame with a 75-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Pereira's $10 million guarantee sets a new financial benchmark for UFC fighters and signals the promotion's willingness to reward its biggest stars with record contracts.
- A Pereira victory over Gane would add heavyweight credibility to his already dominant light heavyweight reign; a Gane win would vault the second-ranked contender to championship status.
- Hooker's eight-fight extension keeps one of lightweight's most exciting strikers locked into the division's top-five picture for the foreseeable future.
