Pereira to Challenge Gane for Interim Heavyweight Title

Alex Pereira, the Brazilian powerhouse who has already claimed UFC titles in two weight classes, will challenge Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship on June 14 at the White House in Washington, D.C. The bout, announced during the UFC 326 broadcast, headlines the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250 and positions Pereira as the favorite to become the first fighter in UFC history to win belts across three divisions.

Pereira, with a professional MMA record of 13-3 and 10-2 in the UFC, vacated his light heavyweight title after reclaiming it with a first-round technical knockout over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 earlier this year. His path to this opportunity began in 2021 when he debuted in the UFC and captured the middleweight crown with a fifth-round knockout of Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. He then moved up to light heavyweight, defeating Jiri Prochazka via second-round knockout at UFC 295 to secure that division's title. A loss to Ankalaev in 2025 was short-lived, as Pereira avenged it decisively. Now, at heavyweight, he enters without the weight cuts that marked his previous successes, potentially preserving more energy for the fight.