It appears Alex Pereira has moved on from the controversy surrounding his loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 nearly a month ago at the White House. For those unfamiliar, the debate has centered on the sequence that led to the stoppage in Pereira’s interim heavyweight title fight. Many fans and analysts questioned whether six of the 11 strikes that landed on the back of Pereira’s head played a role in the finish.
In the aftermath, “Poatan” publicly voiced his frustration with referee Herb Dean, accusing the veteran official of failing to intervene and even urging the UFC to ensure Dean does not officiate any of his future fights. In a lengthy video statement, Pereira also revealed that he and his team had spoken with Dean and other officials before the bout, raising concerns about Gane’s previous conduct inside the cage.
He later shared photos of the back of his head on social media, showing visible lumps that he claimed were caused by the disputed strikes. Dana White, however, has made it clear that the UFC has little control over the situation. Addressing the controversy, he explained that officials such as Herb Dean are appointed by the athletic commissions, not the promotion, meaning the UFC cannot decide which referees work its events.
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With the controversy seemingly behind him, Pereira has now shifted his focus to what’s next, and it appears he intends to remain in the heavyweight division. The Brazilian is targeting a return on the UFC’s yet-to-be-announced November card at Madison Square Garden in New York.
In an interview with Ag.Fight, the Brazilian revealed his plans, saying, “I think November. November is a good time [to come back and fight] in New York. It’s been a while since I fought there. I don’t really remember the dates, it’s hard. My debut was there, but I’ve fought there a few more times since then. It’s close to my house, about an hour and a half drive. So there’s no [travel] fatigue or jet lag.”
Moreover, the former two-division champion also caught up with CBS Sports on the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet on Thursday, where he reaffirmed his intention to stay at 265 pounds. He said, “I believe November. Heavyweight for sure. November, heavyweight.”
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The Brazilian star has fought three times at Madison Square Garden and emerged victorious on each occasion. He stopped Andreas Michailidis with a flying knee in his UFC debut at the iconic venue in 2021 before returning a year later to knock out Israel Adesanya at UFC 281 to capture the middleweight title. Pereira then claimed the light heavyweight belt at UFC 295 in November 2023 with a knockout victory over Jiri Prochazka.
With his sights firmly set on heavyweight and another November appearance at MSG, the biggest question now is who will be standing across the Octagon from “Poatan” when he makes his return.
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.
