Pereira vs Gane fight for UFC interim heavyweight title

Alex Pereira will attempt to make Ultimate Fighting Championship history on June 14 when he faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. The bout, scheduled as the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., offers Pereira the chance to become the first fighter to win UFC championships in three different weight classes.

The 38-year-old Brazilian, a former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, is moving up to the sport’s heaviest division. Pereira stated that he expects to weigh around 242 pounds for the fight, a weight he says feels natural. He noted that the transition simplifies his preparation, as he no longer faces the aggressive weight cuts required at lower divisions. Pereira last fought in October, knocking out Magomed Ankalaev to regain the light heavyweight title, which he voluntarily vacated in February to pursue the heavyweight opportunity.

His opponent, France’s Ciryl Gane, is a former interim heavyweight champion seeking another shot at undisputed gold. The 36-year-old last competed in October, when his fight with champion Tom Aspinall was ruled a no-contest due to multiple eye pokes from Gane that left...