Alex Pereira wants a rematch with Ciryl Gane after their controversial UFC Freedom 250 meeting, saying a second fight is the most logical option for his return to the heavyweight division.
Pereira and Gane met on June 14 at the White House in Washington, D.C., with the vacant interim heavyweight title on the line.
Gane stopped Pereira in the second round after dropping him with a jab and following up with a series of elbows, ending Pereira’s attempt to become the first UFC fighter to win championships in three weight classes.
Pereira has continued to question the finish, claiming that illegal strikes to the back of his head played a role in the stoppage.
He also criticized referee Herb Dean for allowing the exchanges to continue before ending the contest.
The former middleweight and light heavyweight champion initially left his next move unclear after the defeat.
However, he has now made it clear that he intends to remain at heavyweight and wants another opportunity against Gane.
In a message on Instagram, Pereira said he had seen speculation about his next opponent but believed a rematch with Gane made the most sense.
He also said he expected the fight to happen and wanted to correct the outcome of their first meeting.
He said: “After much time resting, what I needed to do, after much work, after my last fight, many people are talking with who will Alex fight? I’m seeing many opinions, but I think the fight that makes sense is Ciryl Gane.
“That’s the fight. I’m going to work on that, and from what I’m seeing, it’s something that’s going to happen. In the last fight [ended], there were illegal shots. I think now, with another opportunity, I can come back and show what I can do, what I can achieve, which is the third belt. I’m very excited for that, and I’ll work for that. Chama!”
The rematch could become a realistic option if Gane’s expected unification fight with Tom Aspinall is delayed.
Aspinall remains sidelined while completing further medical checks after suffering a serious eye injury, leaving uncertainty over when he will be cleared to return.
Gane’s victory over Pereira was supposed to move him towards a meeting with Aspinall for the undisputed heavyweight title.
UFC president Dana White also indicated after the White House event that the promotion wanted to make the unification fight, potentially in Paris.
However, Aspinall’s recovery could force the UFC to consider another interim-title defense.
A second meeting would give Pereira a chance to rebuild his title hopes while providing Gane with another high-profile defense.
The matchup also carries obvious appeal for the UFC, with both men recognized for their striking ability and their first meeting ending before the fight could develop fully.
