Ciryl Gane stops Alex Pereira to win UFC interim heavyweight title

Ciryl Gane captured his second UFC interim heavyweight title Sunday night, stopping Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.

The French striker overwhelmed the former two-division champion in a performance ESPN described as a crushing display. Gane, who previously held interim gold at heavyweight in 2021 before losing to Francis Ngannou in a unification bout, returned to familiar territory with the victory over Pereira.

Pereira's heavyweight run ends in upset defeat

Pereira had moved up from light heavyweight seeking a third title in a third weight class, but the Brazilian's bid fell short against Gane's speed and technical precision. The loss marks a rare setback for Pereira, who had built a reputation as one of the sport's most dangerous finishers.

Gane now positions himself for a second attempt at undisputed heavyweight gold. The interim belt sets up a unification bout with reigning champion Jon Jones, though no timeline has been announced for that matchup.

Reported via:

• ESPN MMA — Gane crushes Pereira, captures UFC's interim title