Pereira Wants Ciryl Gane Rematch for UFC Return

Alex Pereira wants Ciryl Gane again, and he says the rematch is close to becoming official for his next fight.

The former two-division champion has been out of action since June, when he came up short in his bid for a third UFC title, losing to Ciryl Gane in an interim heavyweight title fight on the UFC White House card. Pereira spent the months since publicly criticizing referee Herb Dean for not stepping in on shots he considered illegal during that fight, but he's now shifted his focus toward getting Gane back in the cage.

Pereira said on Instagram that after resting and putting in work following his last fight, he's seen a lot of speculation about who he'll fight next, and that the matchup that makes the most sense to him is Ciryl Gane. He said he believes the fight is going to happen. Pereira also pointed back to how the first fight ended, referencing what he considered illegal shots, and said a second opportunity would let him show what he can do and chase that third UFC belt.

Why The Rematch Isn't Locked In Yet

The UFC has not made anything official on Gane's next fight. The promotion had hoped Gane would eventually unify his interim heavyweight belt with undisputed champion Tom Aspinall, but Aspinall has been out of action for roughly the past 11 months following accidental eye pokes that turned their first meeting into a no-contest, and both UFC CEO Dana White and Aspinall's manager Eddie Hearn have said he's still not quite ready to return. That timeline gap is exactly why Pereira sees an opening. If Aspinall isn't ready soon, Gane could need another fight in the meantime, which could open the door for Pereira to get his rematch before the end of 2026.

Betting Angle

Nothing is booked yet, so there's no line to point to, but the setup still matters for anyone tracking this division. Pereira has built his career on standup power and has already carried that reputation across two weight classes, so sportsbooks will likely still treat him as live in a rematch even after a finish loss. Gane, though, now holds interim gold and has the far stronger positional argument, both for a unification fight with Aspinall and in any hypothetical rematch pricing. Until the UFC confirms a date and opponent, this remains a name-value story rather than a market one, but expect Gane to open as the favorite if the rematch gets made given how the first meeting ended and the belt he now carries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Alex Pereira say about fighting Ciryl Gane again?

Alex Pereira said on Instagram that a rematch with Ciryl Gane is the fight that makes the most sense for his next bout and that he believes it is going to happen.

Why did Alex Pereira lose to Ciryl Gane?

Alex Pereira was finished by Ciryl Gane in an interim UFC heavyweight title fight on the UFC White House card in June, and Pereira has since criticized referee Herb Dean over shots he considered illegal during that fight.

Is a Ciryl Gane vs Tom Aspinall unification fight happening instead?

The UFC had hoped Ciryl Gane would unify his interim heavyweight title with champion Tom Aspinall, but Aspinall has been out for about 11 months recovering from eye injuries and has not been cleared to return, which could open the door for Gane to fight Alex Pereira first.