Alex Pereira targets November MSG return after heavyweight loss

Alex Pereira wants back in the cage by November at Madison Square Garden following his knockout loss to Ciryl Gane in June.

The former two-division UFC champion told Ag. Fight he is targeting the promotion's yet-to-be-announced November card at MSG, an arena where he holds a perfect 3-0 record with two title wins. "I think November. November is a good time [to come back and fight] in New York," Pereira said, per MMA Fighting. "It's been a while since I fought there... It's close to my house, about an hour and a half drive. So there's no [travel] fatigue or jet lag."

Pereira staying at heavyweight after Gane loss

Pereira dropped a co-main event bout to Gane at UFC White House on June 14 in what was his first attempt at an interim heavyweight championship. He has publicly disputed the stoppage, claiming Gane landed illegal strikes that referee Herb Dean missed, but opted against filing an official appeal with the athletic commission. Despite the setback, Pereira confirmed he will not return to light heavyweight and plans to remain at heavyweight moving forward.

Madison Square Garden has been a successful venue for the Brazilian striker. He stopped Andreas Michailidis with a flying knee in his UFC debut there in 2021, knocked out Israel Adesanya to claim the middleweight belt a year later, and finished Jiri Prochazka to win the light heavyweight strap in November 2023. No date has been set for the November MSG card.

Photo: The White House / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Alex Pereira aims for November UFC return at Madison Square Garden | MMA Fighting