- Alex Pereira is set to take a major step in his career on June 14, when he moves up to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at the UFC Freedom 250. A victory would make Pereira a champion across three different weight divisions, adding another milestone to his already impressive résumé.
Heading into the matchup, betting odds slightly favor the Brazilian, with many fans backing him to secure the win. However, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou sees the fight differently. While he acknowledges Pereira’s size and strength, Ngannou believes Gane’s mobility and technical style could present serious problems.
Ngannou explained that Pereira is powerful and physically suited for heavyweight competition, but tends to fight in a more rigid and planted manner. In contrast, Gane relies heavily on movement, speed, and footwork. According to Ngannou, this difference in approach could make it difficult for Pereira to close the distance and effectively use his striking. He suggested that Gane’s ability to stay mobile, control range, and strike from the outside may frustrate Pereira and give the الفرنسي fighter a clear tactical edge.
Reach could also play a role in the contest. Gane holds a slight advantage with an 81-inch reach compared to Pereira’s 79 inches. Beyond the numbers, Gane has demonstrated strong distance management skills in previous fights. For example, in his bout against Tom Aspinall, Gane effectively used his range and movement to control the early stages of the fight before it was disrupted.
Ngannou’s perspective carries weight because of his firsthand experience fighting Gane. When they met at UFC 270, Ngannou had to rely heavily on wrestling rather than striking to neutralize Gane’s stand-up game, eventually winning by unanimous decision. His comments highlight just how challenging Gane can be to deal with on the feet.
Another former champion, Henry Cejudo, shares a similar opinion. He believes Gane’s “stick-and-move” style could be too difficult for Pereira to handle, raising doubts about whether the Brazilian can secure the win.
Despite these concerns, Pereira has proven himself against technical, distance-based fighters before—most notably in his rivalry with Israel Adesanya. His past success against such opponents adds intrigue to this matchup, as it suggests he may have the tools to adapt.
In preparation for the fight, Pereira appears to be focusing on ensuring he brings adequate size and power into the heavyweight division. He recently revealed that he weighs around 247 pounds, a solid figure for the division while still maintaining a lean physique. Interestingly, Gane weighed approximately 247.5 pounds in his previous fight, making their physical size fairly comparable.
Although Tom Aspinall came in heavier at 255 pounds in his matchup with Gane, the French fighter still showed superior speed and agility. This suggests that even if Pereira matches Gane in weight, the key difference may come down to movement and quickness rather than pure size.
As the fight approaches, the matchup is shaping up to be a compelling clash of styles—power and pressure versus speed and precision. The outcome will likely depend on whether Pereira can effectively close the distance and impose his strength, or if Gane can maintain range, stay elusive, and control the pace of the fight.