Ciryl Gane stops Alex Pereira, ends triple-champ bid at UFC Freedom 250

Ciryl Gane kept Alex Pereira from making history, stopping the former two-division champion in the second round of their heavyweight interim title bout at UFC Freedom 250 in Washington, D.C.

Gane controlled the opening frame and picked up where he left off early in the second, according to MMA Mania. The Frenchman dropped Pereira with a power jab less than 30 seconds into the round, then unleashed heavy ground strikes that left the Brazilian badly hurt. Pereira survived the initial barrage but could not recover, and the referee stepped in moments later as Gane continued pouring on punches.

Gane sets up Aspinall rematch with second interim title

The finish denied Pereira a chance to become the first three-division champion in UFC history. He won middleweight gold in 2022 and claimed the heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight strap a year later, then moved up to heavyweight in pursuit of a third belt. When asked after the fight if he would return to 205 pounds, Pereira gave no firm answer, leaving open the possibility that his heavyweight run is not finished.

Gane now rides a three-fight win streak and holds interim heavyweight gold for the second time. The victory sets up a rematch with undisputed champion Tom Aspinall, who stopped Gane at UFC 304 in 2024. A unification bout between the two could land in Paris later this year, per the MMA Mania report.

UFC Freedom 250 aired live on Paramount+ from the South Lawn of the White House on June 14, part of a 250th anniversary celebration for the United States. Gane moved to 14-2 with one no-contest, while Pereira dropped to 13-4.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Highlights! Ciryl Gane spoils Alex Pereira’s ‘triple champ’ bid with crushing technical knockout, sets up Tom Aspinall rematch