Pereira accuses UFC of orchestrating influencer campaign to justify Gane-Hokit title fight

Alex Pereira has accused the UFC of coordinating a behind-the-scenes influence campaign to manufacture public support for the Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit heavyweight title fight, claiming the promotion used Daniel Cormier and other prominent voices to pre-sell the matchup before it was officially announced.

“Poatan” had anticipated a rematch with Gane after the Frenchman stopped him in June at UFC Freedom 250. Instead, the UFC informed him it had conducted a fan poll showing the public preferred Gane to face unbeaten contender Josh Hokit — a poll Pereira says he never saw.

“At first, the UFC said they did a poll, which I didn’t see, and that the public wanted it… I said OK,” Pereira told journalist Laerte Viana. “They are the ones in charge. It’s all kind of manipulated. I saw before the announcement that Cormier and other guys saying that it will be a good fight. When I say people, I mean people who have a lot of engagement. They were like, ‘Hey, go ahead, say that this fight is good so that when we drop it, the public will be OK with it and agree with you.’ I think they did everything there to make people believe that this should be the fight.”

Pereira also took direct aim at Cormier’s credibility as an analyst, recounting a conversation in which the former two-division champion suggested a win over Gane would not automatically make Pereira heavyweight champion. “When I spoke to Cormier, I asked him if I defeat Ciryl Gane, am I the champion? He said, ‘I don’t think so.’ So the guy has opinions that don’t make sense,” Pereira said.

Gane (14-2, 1 NC) is set to defend the heavyweight title against the undefeated Hokit (10-0) at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Pereira (13-4), meanwhile, will face Sergei Pavlovich (21-3) in a heavyweight contest at UFC 335 on December 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas — a fight widely viewed as a mandatory step before any future title opportunity.