Alex Pereira entered UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026, making his highly anticipated heavyweight debut with an interim title on the line against Ciryl Gane. A win would have made him the first UFC fighter to capture titles in three different weight classes.
However, his dream was crushed after losing in the second round. Just over two weeks prior, on May 30, Sergei Pavlovich had knocked out Pereira’s training partner, Tallison Teixeira, in a brutal 39-second knockout at UFC Macau.
While the 39-year-old Pereira is now set to take revenge on Pavlovich in the co-main event of UFC 335 this December, his original plan was to call out the knockout artist right then and there on the microphone.
Alex Pereira Planned to Call Out Sergei Pavlovich After Beating Ciryl Gane
Pereira’s coach and translator, Plinio Cruz, detailed the backstory of this matchup on The Ariel Helwani Show recently, explaining that Teixeira was actively helping “Poatan” prepare for his heavyweight debut when Pavlovich brutally stopped him in 39 seconds at UFC Macau.
Cruz revealed that the sudden defeat shocked everyone in the gym, but it immediately ignited a competitive fire inside the former two-division champion.
“When I [Pereira] was training for the Gane fight and Tallison Teixeira was in camp with us, he fought Pavlovich and he lost,” Cruz said, detailing the initial locker room reactions. “So back then, the guys are going, ‘He’s tough, he’s a machine’ and this and that.”
Pereira then made a plan for his post-fight interview. Cruz explained that the Brazilian star wanted to win his own fight first, then call out the man who had just beaten his teammate.
“Alex, his mind was like, ‘Bro, I’m gonna beat Ciryl Gane and right there on the microphone, I’m gonna call out Pavlovich because I think it’s a good fight’,” Cruz said. “He likes the challenge.”
But Gane ruined that dream and immediately changed the Brazilian’s plans. Pereira asked for an immediate rematch, but the UFC booked Gane to defend his heavyweight belt against the No. 6-ranked Josh Hokit at UFC 334 instead. Pereira also said he spoke with UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell, who told him that the promotion preferred the Gane-Hokit matchup.
THE UFC 334 FULL CARD 😲 https://t.co/m5pldAtZzF
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) September 20, 2026
Pereira will now face Pavlovich on Dec. 12. The No. 3-ranked heavyweight contender holds a 21-3 record. Fans expressed concern about the Russian’s size and power when the UFC announced the bout.
However, Pereira explained that while Pavlovich has cardio, he fights at a very slow pace. The Brazilian wants to make him move, believing he is stronger and technically better than the Russian. Fans must wait until December to see if Pereira can prove it. A win keeps him in line to fight the Gane-Hokit winner.
