Alex Pereira has publicly stated that a rematch with interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane should be his next fight. Gane defeated Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June, denying him the chance to become the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in three divisions. With undisputed champion Tom Aspinall sidelined by multiple eye surgeries with no clear return date, Pereira is pushing his case for another crack at the belt, pointing to illegal shots to the back of the head he suffered in that fight.
Alex Pereira has gone public with his demand for a rematch against interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane, stating that the two should meet again in his next fight as he continues to chase heavyweight gold.
Pereira, 39, holds a 13-4 record and is ranked third in the light heavyweight division, though his recent campaign has centered on a historic heavyweight run. The Brazilian striker, who trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness, lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy and stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach. His bid at UFC Freedom 250 in June would have made him the first fighter in UFC history to capture titles in three separate weight classes, a milestone that slipped away with the loss to Gane. Pereira has pointed to illegal strikes to the back of the head during that bout as a factor in the outcome.
Gane, nicknamed "Bon Gamin," carries a 14-2 record and holds the interim heavyweight title. The 36-year-old Frenchman out of MMA Factory stands six-foot-four with a remarkable 81-inch reach — among the longest in the division — and averages 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy. His technical striking and movement have long made him a difficult puzzle for power fighters.
The undisputed heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall of England, remains sidelined with multiple eye surgeries and has no clear return date, leaving the division in a state of uncertainty. Aspinall carries a 15-3 record and sits sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings, and his absence has created a genuine title vacuum at heavyweight.
Why it matters
- A Pereira victory over Gane would reignite his pursuit of an unprecedented third divisional title in the UFC
- Aspinall's indefinite absence means the interim belt may serve as the division's primary championship for the foreseeable future
- The style matchup pits Pereira's knockout power against Gane's technical, movement-based striking game — a rematch with unfinished business on both sides
