Pereira targets Gane rematch to chase third UFC title after June stoppage loss

Alex Pereira has set his sights on a rematch with Ciryl Gane, declaring the fight “is going to happen” as he looks to rebound from his stoppage defeat at the UFC White House card in June.

The Brazilian former two-division champion was finished by Gane in an interim heavyweight title fight, ending his bid to become a three-weight UFC champion. In the months that followed, Pereira ran a vocal public campaign criticising referee Herb Dean for failing to penalise what he described as illegal shots to the back of the head. Now, he says, it is time to move forward.

“After much time after resting what I needed to do, after much work, after my last fight, many people are talking with who will Alex fight?” Pereira said on Instagram. “I’m seeing many opinions but I think the fight that makes sense is Ciryl Gane. That’s the fight. I’m going to work on that and from what I’m seeing, it’s something that’s going to happen.”

Pereira was direct about his motivation. “How the last fight [ended], there were illegal shots. I think now with another opportunity I can come back and show what I can do, what I can achieve, which is the third belt. I’m very excited for that and I’ll work for that.”

The UFC has not confirmed any matchmaking for Gane, whose most logical next assignment remains a unification bout against undisputed heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. That fight, however, has been repeatedly delayed after accidental eye pokes from Gane ended their first meeting in a no-contest. Aspinall has since undergone multiple surgeries and, according to both UFC CEO Dana White and Aspinall’s manager Eddie Hearn, is still not cleared to compete after 11 months on the sidelines.

With Aspinall’s return date uncertain, Gane may need an interim fight before the unification bout materialises — a scenario that could hand Pereira the rematch he is seeking before the end of 2025.