Alex Pereira is heading to heavyweight, and new training footage is generating significant buzz ahead of his June 14 interim title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.
A recent clip shows Pereira working on the pads with longtime coach Glover Teixeira, displaying the same finishing power that has defined his career across two weight classes. The footage suggests the move up to heavyweight has done nothing to diminish the striking ability that made him a two-division UFC champion.
Pereira previously held the middleweight and light heavyweight titles during his UFC run. A win over Gane at the White House event would make him the first fighter in UFC history to hold championship gold in three different weight classes, a milestone that analysts, including Michael Chiesa, have cited as potentially the strongest argument for calling Pereira the greatest UFC fighter of all time.
Gane represents a technically demanding opponent for Pereira’s heavyweight debut. The French striker brings elite movement and technical precision to the matchup, and his team has been preparing specifically for Pereira’s power, including sparring sessions with the last man to defeat Pereira in kickboxing.
UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington D.C.