Ciryl Gane knocks out Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250

MMA Fighting • 2 min read • Latest: Oct 30, 2026, 3:00 PM

Last updated Oct 30, 2026

Ciryl Gane knocks out Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250
Summary

Ciryl Gane achieved a significant victory over Alex Pereira in the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship bout at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026, held at the White House. Gane secured the interim title with a second-round knockout. Controversy arose regarding the legality of Gane's strikes, with Pereira's coach, Plinio Cruz, expressing concerns about shots to the back of the head. Pereira has been vocal about his discontent with referee Herb Dean following the fight. Pereira is set to face Sergei Pavlovich in December at UFC 335, seeking his chance to become the UFC’s first three-division champion. Gane will defend his title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden.

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Status Watch
  • •Gane knocked out Pereira in the second round.
  • •The fight took place at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026.
  • •Controversy surrounds Gane's strikes due to claims of illegal hits.
  • •Pereira will fight Sergei Pavlovich in December at UFC 335.
  • •Gane defends his title against Josh Hokit on November 14 at UFC 334.
Latest Updates
  • 3:00 PMMMA Fighting — Video: Alex Pereria’s head coach screams ‘back of the head’ in new footage from UFC White House knockout loss to Ciryl Gane
What they're saying
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WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: Ciryl Gane of France looks to strike Alex Pereira of Brazil in the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship bout during UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images It was an extreme tale of two emotions in the closing moments of Ciryl Gane’s biggest career win over Alex Pereira at the UFC White House card. Gane captured the interim title with a second-round knockout of Pereira at the historic event in June — which ended up becoming the undisputed championship following Tom Aspinall’s decision to vacate after lingering issues from eye injuries. The story of the fight in the aftermath — especially on the Pereira side — were claims of shots to the back of the head when Gane had Pereira badly hurt in an exchange prior to the finish. The UFC just released new footage of the corners for both fighters. Pereira’s head coach Plinio Cruz can be seen and heard screaming “back of the head” towards referee Herb Dean. Check out the new footage below. Pereira has been quite vocal of his criticism towards Dean ever since the fight ended. “Poatan” looks to get back to another opportunity to become the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion when he faces Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event of UFC 335 in December. Gane defends his title for the first time in the main event of UFC 334 against Josh Hokit, which takes place Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden.

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