Following his knockout loss to Ciryl Gane, Alex Pereira said he needs to sit down with his team and discuss the way forward. Pereira noted that he has competed at middleweight, light heavyweight, and now heavyweight, and is considering remaining at heavyweight going forward.
Alex Pereira has opened the door to a permanent move to heavyweight following his knockout defeat to Ciryl Gane at UFC White House on June 14, saying he needs to consult with his team before deciding on the path ahead.
Pereira, 38, entered the contest as the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, stepping up two weight classes to compete at heavyweight. The Brazilian, who trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness, now carries a professional record of 13-4. The loss to Gane was his third inside the UFC, and it came after a remarkable run that saw him capture titles at both middleweight and light heavyweight. Standing six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, Pereira has built his reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA, landing 5.16 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 62 percent.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Pereira acknowledged that he has now competed across three weight classes — middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight — and indicated that staying at heavyweight is something he is actively weighing.
Why it matters
- Pereira holds the light heavyweight title, so any extended move to heavyweight raises immediate questions about the status of that belt
- A decision to remain at heavyweight would place him in one of the UFC's most active and competitive divisions
- His combination of elite striking output and elite accuracy would make him a dangerous presence at 265 pounds regardless of the size disadvantage he may face
Sunday, June 14, 2026
