Alex Pereira’s quest to become the first three-division champion in UFC history fell short on June 14 at UFC Freedom 250 because Ciryl Gane stopped him in the second round of their interim heavyweight title fight.
Since then, the Brazilian has campaigned heavily for an immediate rematch. However, after Tom Aspinall vacated the undisputed heavyweight throne, Gane was elevated to champion and booked to defend the title against the undefeated Josh Hokit at UFC 334.
“Poatan” showed his frustration by accusing former two-division champion Daniel Cormier of promoting the Gane-Hokit fight just because the UFC told him to. While Cormier responded to the accusation with respect, UFC CEO Dana White bluntly shut down Pereira’s conspiracy claim.
Dana White Rejects Alex Pereira’s Claim That UFC Directed Daniel Cormier
Speaking to reporters after the fights in Las Vegas, White denied that the promotion controls what commentators say. He argued that fighters often imagine hidden agendas, adding that disagreements are normal when managing a huge roster.
“Of course that’s not true,” White stated. “These guys are the most paranoid people on the planet. I’ve never told DC to say anything, ever. It doesn’t work like that. We don’t operate like that. We’ve got over 700 guys under contract. We talk about two of them being sideways right now. This is normal when you’re in this business.”
🗣️ Dana White RESPONDS to Alex Pereira comments that the UFC told Daniel Cormier to speak against him!!
WATCH: https://t.co/vK29DoNl5s https://t.co/W4mCw6g0fI
— Fight Hub TV (@FightHubTV) October 14, 2026
While White admitted he personally dislikes when commentators criticize athletes, he made it clear that the organization does not script its broadcast teams. To prove the promotion does not police opinions, he pointed to former champion Sean Strickland as a prime example of their open-speech policy.
“I don’t tell the fighters what to say. I don’t tell the commentators what to say,” White added. “We don’t police any of that stuff. If we did, Sean Strickland would’ve been gone three f*cking years ago, and we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”
“Poatan” made the claim in an interview with Laerte Viana. He said Cormier pushed the UFC 334 main event on the promotion’s instructions, and that Cormier once suggested he would not become champion even if he beat Gane.
Cormier denied both. Speaking recently on his YouTube channel, he said, “I was not told by the UFC to promote this as the fight to happen. I will tell you why I think that was the fight to happen, after some fact-checking. … Again, I have nothing against Alex Pereira. If anything, I consider him a buddy of mine.”
Cormier then played the original video footage of their interview to prove the discussion was actually about whether Pereira would be the GOAT if he won, confirming he explicitly told Pereira he would be the champion.
“I didn’t say he wouldn’t be the champ; I said he wouldn’t be the GOAT, yet,” Cormier explained. “I also said, of course, if he beats Ciryl Gane, he’d be the champion. But I also think that could just be a miscommunication. We don’t talk the same language, all those things.”
Daniel Cormier fires back at Alex Pereira over saying DC is manipulated by UFC:
“I was not told by the UFC to promote this as the fight to happen… I’m honest. Like, I don’t lie to these guys. I don’t sugarcoat to these guys.”
Via: @dc_mma https://t.co/D1JcmksBfQ
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 13, 2026
Pereira has not yet responded to the remarks from Cormier or White. Instead, his focus has shifted to his next assignment, as the promotion has scheduled him for a five-round co-main event at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 against Sergei Pavlovich.
The stakes remain incredibly high for the division. If Gane successfully defends his undisputed title on Nov. 14, and Pereira defeats the dangerous Pavlovich in December, the Brazilian will likely secure the rematch he has been chasing.
