Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 16

Alex Pereira Demands Rematch After UFC White House Loss, Citing Illegal Strikes in Round 2

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 16

Alex Pereira Demands Rematch After UFC White House Loss, Citing Illegal Strikes in Round 2

Q: Will the UFC grant Pereira an immediate rematch, or is Ciryl Gane's shot at the undisputed title secure?

Ciryl Gane’s shot at the undisputed heavyweight title appears more secure than an immediate rematch for Alex Pereira. The clearest signal is that Gane won the interim belt and, by standard UFC practice, that usually leads to a unification bout with the undisputed champion. Reporting around the event says Gane’s “reward” is a fight with Tom Aspinall, and Gane himself has already pushed for that matchup, potentially in Paris in September. Dana White has not formally locked it in, but there is no indication the UFC has moved away from that plan. Pereira has made a forceful case for a rematch, arguing the stoppage sequence included illegal blows to the back of the head and that referee Herb Dean failed to intervene. He says he raised concerns about Gane’s fouling history before the fight and has since asked the UFC to run it back immediately. Pereira also said the promotion asked for time before giving him an answer, which suggests the request is under review but not approved. Unless a commission review changes the official result or the UFC decides the controversy is commercially too big to ignore, Pereira faces a difficult path to jumping ahead of Aspinall. The stronger evidence right now points to Gane moving on to unify the title, while Pereira’s rematch push remains unresolved and, at this stage, unlikely to take priority.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jun 16

Pereira said Herb Dean should have stopped Sunday’s UFC White House co-main event after multiple punches and elbows allegedly hit the back of his head before Ciryl Gane’s second-round knockout win.
The former two-division champion said he warned Dean in a pre-fight rules meeting about Gane’s history of fouls, then posted photos showing lumps on the back of his head after the bout.
Pereira acknowledged a legal jab first hurt him, but argued the illegal follow-up blows prevented any chance of recovery and said Dean should face punishment for missing them.
The loss cost Pereira a shot at becoming UFC’s first three-division titleholder and likely a future fight with Tom Aspinall, though he said the UFC is considering his request for an immediate rematch with Gane.