Alex Pereira has a chance to make UFC history when he faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship at Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House.
The Brazilian star (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), already a former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion, could become the first fighter in UFC history to capture titles in three different weight classes if he defeats Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC).
Pereira’s rise through the UFC ranks has been remarkable. After signing with the promotion in 2021, he needed just four fights to achieve his goal of winning UFC gold, defeating longtime kickboxing rival Israel Adesanya to claim the middleweight title. Following a move to the light heavyweight division in 2023, Pereira captured the 205-pound championship in only his second fight at the weight.
Now, “Poatan” stands on the verge of accomplishing something no fighter has ever achieved inside the Octagon.
Speaking with Megan Olivi during a sit-down interview for Paramount on Wednesday, Pereira reflected on the significance of potentially winning a third UFC title.
“For me, (winning a third belt is) very important,” Pereira said. “We’re in the middle of the competition and this is something nobody has ever done before and I’m right there, close to accomplishing it.”
While the historic achievement would further cement his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats, Pereira said the opportunity carries personal meaning beyond championship success.
“I’m very happy to be able to show a little more of my story, because we know that whenever you achieve something big, and we’re talking about a third belt here, people start paying more attention to you, right?” Pereira said. “The media starts focusing on you more.”
The 38-year-old hopes the increased attention would allow him to inspire others by sharing the challenges he has overcome throughout his life.
“That gives me the opportunity to show a bit about my childhood, the difficulties I went through, things that many people can relate to, even alcoholism, which I’ve always spoken openly about,” Pereira said. “More people are going to see that now, and that’s very important to me.”
A victory over Gane would not only add another championship to Pereira’s collection but also place him alone in the UFC record books as the promotion’s first-ever three-division titleholder.
