Ciryl Gane Ready for Rematch with Alex Pereira
Ciryl Gane is not waiting around.
The UFC interim heavyweight champion has made it clear: if Tom Aspinall’s damaged eye keeps the undisputed title on ice, he is ready to run it back with Alex Pereira – controversy and all.
A Controversial Night at UFC Freedom 250
Gane’s knockout of Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 delivered him the interim heavyweight belt and, on paper, a clean route to a unification clash with Aspinall. The performance looked emphatic. The fallout did not.
Several of the blows that rocked Pereira – punches and elbows as Gane swarmed for the finish – landed to the back of the Brazilian’s head. Referee Herb Dean let the action continue, declined to issue a warning or deduction, and Gane walked out with gold and a guaranteed shot at Aspinall.
The debate has lingered ever since. Was it an unstoppable onslaught, or a tainted stoppage? The result stands, but the questions never really left.
Gane Sets His Priorities
Speaking to RMC Sport, Gane laid out his stance with typical calm.
The Frenchman’s first choice remains a unification bout with Aspinall. The UFC has already opened discussions with his coach and manager Fernand Lopez, and Gane is preparing as if the Briton will be next.
“We don’t know if there is a rematch against Tom Aspinall. We want it,” he said, via Bloody Elbow, underlining that the champion remains the primary target.
Then came the twist.
If Aspinall cannot go, Gane is not interested in treading water. He is willing to turn straight back toward the man he just finished.
“What I would like is either Tom Aspinall or a rematch against Alex Pereira,” he added.
No hedging. No soft callout. Just two names, and a clear order of preference.
Heavyweight Chess for the UFC
The matchmakers now face a familiar problem: a champion not yet cleared, an interim champion ready to fight, and a restless fanbase demanding clarity at the top of the division.
Aspinall vs. Gane 2 is the fight most observers want. Their first meeting ended in heartbreak for Gane and a breakout moment for Aspinall; the rematch, now with belts involved, sells itself. But Aspinall’s eye injury has stalled any firm date, and medical clearance remains the immovable obstacle.
The UFC cannot indefinitely park its interim champion. Gane is in his prime, carrying momentum, and the belt he holds exists for one reason: to keep the division moving when the undisputed title cannot.
That is where Pereira re-enters the frame.
Pereira Waiting in the Wings
Pereira currently has no fight booked. His name has been linked to a potential clash with rival Josh Hokit, but nothing has been signed. That leaves the Brazilian in a kind of limbo – dangerous, marketable, and available.
A second meeting with Gane would come loaded with storylines. The first ended in a knockout and a storm of complaints about shots to the back of the head. A rematch would offer Pereira the chance to erase that stain and Gane the opportunity to prove the finish was no accident, no asterisk, just superiority.
For the UFC, it would also solve a problem: keep Gane active, keep the interim belt visible, and give Pereira a high‑stakes stage while Aspinall heals.
If Aspinall receives the green light soon, the path is simple: unification, closure, and a clear champion at the top of the division. If he does not, the promotion faces a choice between delay and risk, or action and noise.
And Gane has already signaled which route he is prepared to take.
If the champion stays sidelined, the heavyweight picture may not wait for him. It might instead be reshaped by the same man who sparked the last controversy – and the rival who wants nothing more than to correct it.
