After months of speculation, the UFC officially unveiled the full lineup for its highly anticipated Freedom 250 card, set for June 14, 2026, on the South Lawn of the White House. While many fans were hoping for the long-awaited returns of Jon Jones and Conor McGregor, the promotion has instead delivered a championship-stacked event headlined by two major title fights. In the main event, Ilia Topuria returns to the Octagon to unify his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje.
However, it’s the co-main event that has sparked the most intrigue. Former two-division champion Alex Pereira is set to move up to heavyweight for a blockbuster clash with Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title, with undisputed champion Tom Aspinall currently sidelined. Ever since the bout became official, Pereira has teased fans with his physical transformation, reportedly weighing over 250 pounds in recent months, fueling excitement around another historic run at a high-profile event.
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With less than two months to go, opinions are already pouring in, and one of the most notable comes from former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. Having shared the Octagon with Gane, Ngannou understands the Frenchman’s movement and style better than most, and he doesn’t see this as a favorable matchup for Pereira. In fact, he’s openly questioned how the Brazilian will deal with Gane’s skill set at heavyweight.
Speaking in an interview with MMA reporter Helen Yee, Ngannou backed his former training partner to come out on top, pointing to the stylistic challenges Pereira may face. He said, “I don’t know, I have no idea (what Pereira can do to beat Gane. I think Ciryl has more tools here, and Alex Pereira has his own style. Ciryl Gane has his own style. It’s a very, for me, and I may be wrong, but it’s not a good matchup for Alex Pereira in terms of style.”
Ngannou also highlighted Gane’s exceptional mobility for a heavyweight, comparing his movement to that of 205-pounders. He concluded with, “Basically, if he’s moving up to the division and has to face a heavyweight that is even lighter on the feet than a light heavyweight, that’s a tough challenge. Yeah, (I favour Ciryl Gane).”
This analysis carries real weight, given that Ngannou has already shared the Octagon with Gane. In fact, the Frenchman was Ngannou’s final UFC opponent when they met at UFC 270 for the heavyweight title, just a year before the Cameroonian’s departure from the promotion. In a result that surprised many, ‘The Predator’ leaned heavily on his wrestling to neutralize Gane’s striking, ultimately delivering a dominant performance and establishing a clear blueprint for how to beat the Frenchman.
Since then, Gane has continued to evolve, even working alongside Russian kickboxing standout Artem Vakhitov, one of the few fighters to hold a win over Pereira in the striking world, adding another intriguing layer to this stylistic matchup. As for Ngannou, he’s preparing for his own return to MMA, set to face Philipe Lins at MVP MMA 1 on May 16, marking his first appearance since October 2024.
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.