Cyril Gane stopped Alex Pereira’s attempt at history before Donald Trump
Alex Pereira’s historic quest to become the first three-division champion in UFC history was brutally stopped by Frenchman Cyril Gane. Fighting the Brazilian at UFC Freedom 250 in the White House, Gane knocked out Pereira in the second round of the co-main event to win the interim heavyweight title.
Gane’s sharp jabs left Pereira helpless in the second round as the Frenchman punished the Brazilian by repeatedly finding openings through his defence. Referee Herb Dean was reluctant to stop the bout immediately, which only exposed Pereira to further punishment before the bout was called off.
The trouble started when Pereira was caught advancing in the second round. Gane spotted an opening and landed a clean right hand that rocked the Brazilian. Pereira then absorbed several punches to the face. The former champion showed remarkable resilience to get back to his feet, but once Gane launched a second wave of attacks and forced a stoppage, he had little chance.
Gane later revealed that he had been working on the run with his team before the race and was feeling confident going into the fight. Ever the respectful sportsman, Pereira came over to congratulate Gane soon after he got to his feet.
“We’ve been working on it,” Gane said of his finish.
“I’m really proud of myself, really proud of my team. We knew it was possible. We knew, everyone knows I’m a great athlete. I’m really technical, but people underestimate me. We’ll see. Now I just want to say thank you,” he added.
Pereira remained tight-lipped about his future and whether he would continue at heavyweight or move back a division. The Brazilian said he will sit down with his team and reassess, much like they did after the 2023 middleweight loss to Israel Adesanya.
ALEX PEREIRA’S 2 UFC TITLES
Pereira’s first UFC title came at UFC 281 in November 2022 when he challenged Israel Adesanya for the middleweight championship at Madison Square Garden.
The match carried years of history. Pereira had already defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing, but many still considered the Brazilian an underdog in MMA, as he entered the title fight with only seven pro fights.
Four rounds in, Adesanya looked in control and appears to be on his way to retaining the belt. However, Pereira never changed his approach. He continued to press, attack the legs and power exchanges. Then, with just over two minutes left in the fifth round, he trapped Adesanya against the cage and unleashed a barrage that forced a stoppage and completed one of the fastest climbs to a UFC title in modern history.
The government did not last long. Adesanya won the title in a rematch months later, but Pereira made a decision that would define his UFC career: instead of rebuilding to middleweight, he moved up.
The move earned him another title shot less than a year after becoming champion.
At UFC 295 in November 2023, Pereira faced former champion Jiří Procházka for the vacant light heavyweight belt, again at Madison Square Garden.
The fight was a great test. The walk was bigger, unconventional and carried one of the strongest finishing records in the division. Pereira responded by doing what had brought him success before: staying patient until an opening appeared.
After the competitive opening round, Pereira Procházka started breaking leg kicks and counters. Midway through the second round, he landed a left hand that hurt the Czech fighter before completing a sequence of elbows on the ground to secure the stoppage and become the UFC light heavyweight champion. The win made him a two-division UFC champion just 11 professional MMA fights into his career.
However, on Sunday night in Washington DC, Pereira did not rise to the occasion. He was dominated by Gane in the second round, effectively ending his attempt to make UFC history.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
June 15, 2026 1:57 PM IST