Two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira is preparing for his highly anticipated heavyweight debut on June 14, where he will challenge for the interim 265-pound championship against Ciryl Gane.
Pereira is set to make history as the first fighter in the promotion to vie for titles in three different weight classes. After relinquishing his light heavyweight title earlier this year, he has been actively gaining weight for this move up. While acknowledging that the added mass might have impacted his speed, Pereira asserts that he feels unchanged.
“I feel the exact same,” Pereira stated recently. “Obviously, it’s not possible to bulk up to a much higher weight class, bigger, and not lose maybe a little bit of speed. We’ll see in the fight. But I feel the exact same. I just added, but did not lose anything.”
Expert Opinions on Pereira vs. Gane
The MMA community anticipates this bout to be Pereira’s toughest challenge to date. Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has shared his prediction that Gane will emerge victorious by decision, citing Gane’s significant size and exceptional footwork. “Gane is a massive heavyweight who moves a lot, moves really, really well, is really fluid on his feet,” Aspinall commented.
Similarly, Michael Bisping observed Pereira’s recent sparring footage and concluded that Gane will possess a distinct speed advantage. “Ciryl Gane is going to have the speed advantage. He’s also going to be lighter on the feet,” Bisping noted.
Adding to Gane’s advantages, he is reported to hold a two-inch reach advantage over Pereira, which is reportedly the longest reach Pereira has ever faced in the UFC.