It has been more than three months since Alex Pereira’s bid to become a UFC champion in a third weight class came to a brutal end at UFC Freedom 250. Ciryl Gane delivered a statement-making performance to score a second-round knockout in the historic White House co-main event and become the interim heavyweight champion.
Now, with Tom Aspinall vacating the heavyweight title, Gane is expected to be upgraded to undisputed champion soon. While Pereira recently appeared to have moved on from his bitter loss in June, the Brazilian doesn’t seem ready to welcome Gane as the new champion just yet.
On Wednesday, Pereira took to social media to mock Gane’s potential coronation as the new undisputed heavyweight champion. “Poatan” shared a graphic from MMA News HQ that highlighted some of the Frenchman’s more controversial moments and setbacks inside the Octagon.
The first was Gane’s failed title bid against Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 in January 2022. Ngannou won the fight by decision and retained the heavyweight title in what turned out to be his final UFC appearance.
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The second was Gane’s first-round submission loss to Jon Jones at UFC 285 in March 2023. Jones moved up to heavyweight and submitted Gane to become a two-division champion.
The third was Gane’s controversial decision win over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310. Several people, including UFC CEO Dana White, believed Volkov deserved the decision.
The final moment highlighted was Gane’s win over Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June. The Frenchman finished Pereira in the second round, although the fight was surrounded by controversy after Gane landed multiple shots to the back of the Brazilian’s head.
“Poatan” added the caption, “Champion,” alongside three laughing emojis, clearly mocking Gane as he closes in on potentially becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion.
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Pereira had previously talked about returning in November at Madison Square Garden, with the event now set for UFC 334 on November 14. The Brazilian had planned to face the winner of the heavyweight title unification bout between Gane and Aspinall, but those plans are now off the table after Aspinall vacated the belt and is expected to remain out indefinitely.
Pereira recently added more fuel to speculation about his next fight by sharing a picture with UFC executive Hunter Campbell. The Brazilian was seen smiling, which could suggest that Pereira has already secured the booking he wanted.
With Josh Hokit, Volkov, and Sergei Pavlovich also hovering around the top of the division, there are several names who could potentially challenge Gane for the heavyweight gold. For now, though, Pereira appears to have made it clear that he isn’t exactly thrilled about seeing the Frenchman crowned champion.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
