Pereira targets November MSG return after interim heavyweight title defeat

Alex Pereira is targeting a November comeback at Madison Square Garden after suffering a knockout loss to Ciryl Gane in the interim heavyweight championship co-main event at UFC White House on June 14 — a defeat that left him without a scheduled bout for the first time in years.

“I think November. November is a good time to come back and fight in New York,” Pereira told Ag. Fight. “It’s been a while since I fought there. It’s close to my house, about an hour and a half drive. So there’s no travel fatigue or jet lag.”

The UFC has yet to officially announce a November event at the iconic New York venue, but Pereira’s preference is clear. The Brazilian holds an unblemished record at MSG across three appearances, making it a natural destination for his heavyweight rebuild.

Pereira publicly contested the stoppage against Gane, citing illegal strikes landed by the Frenchman that were allowed by referee Herb Dean. Despite those objections, he ultimately chose not to file a formal appeal with the athletic commission.

Having previously held titles at middleweight and light heavyweight, Pereira has now drawn a firm line under any potential return to 205 pounds. Heavyweight is his division going forward.

His history at Madison Square Garden is remarkable. He stopped Andreas Michailidis with a flying knee on his UFC debut at the arena in 2021, then returned a year later to finish Israel Adesanya and claim the middleweight championship. He added the light heavyweight title in November 2023 with a knockout of Jiri Prochazka — making MSG the backdrop for two of the most significant moments of his career.

Whether the UFC slots him onto a November card remains to be confirmed, but Pereira’s intent is evident: a quick turnaround, on familiar ground, as he looks to establish himself among the heavyweight elite.