MMA news: UFC Freedom 250 – Can Alex Pereira beat Ciryl Gane to become first triple champion?
The UFC White House card was finally revealed this week, and one fight stood out above the rest.
Ciryl Gane vs Alex Pereira – a striking fan’s dream showdown in the octagon – is set to take place on the South Lawn, with the interim heavyweight title on the line.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Cameron Cleugh dissects the fight and what it means to the UFC as a whole.
The first UFC triple champ
Pereira has already won the middleweight and light heavyweight championships, meaning that if he were to beat Gane, he would become the UFC’s first triple champion.
Not only would it be an incredible achievement, but his chances are also favourable.
Gane and Pereira both have a strong background in kickboxing, making this likely to be a strictly stand-up match.
Pereira’s power and knockout potential are also things that have been highlighted throughout his career.
He holds K.O. victories over Jamahal Hill, Israel Adesanya, and Sean Strickland, to name a few.
With vicious leg kicks and a left hook from hell, there’s a strong chance this fight won't make it out of the first round.
Why only an interim title?
Tom Aspinall is the undisputed heavyweight champion, but after his no-contest match with Gane rendered him unable to fight, Pereira has once again stepped up to the challenge.
There is debate over whether interim titles are merely a glorified number-one ranking or a legitimate championship title.
Whoever wins this bout will still have to fight Aspinall for the undisputed belt.
However, becoming the interim champion is no easy task and is still respected by fans as a massive achievement.
MORE FROM CAMERON CLEUGH: MMA opinion: Will Sean Strickland have a chance at middleweight gold again?
Undersized or a genetic freak?
A potential reason for there not being a triple champion in the UFC is that most fighters simply lack the genetics to move up two weight classes without becoming too bulky to manoeuvre.
Yet, when Pereira cut to middleweight, he didn’t seem to be affected by the huge weight change from 226 down to 185 pounds.
As a light heavyweight at 205 pounds, Pereira’s performance kept improving.
It’s no wonder that fans thought with an increase in weight, he could become a heavyweight – he was already in that weight class.
If we contrast this with someone like Tom Aspinall, who seems physically incapable of cutting to 205 pounds, it begs the question: Is Pereira too undersized for that weight class?
Unlike most heavyweights, he is incredibly lean.
Most of the current roster have at least some level of body fat, including the legend himself, Jon Jones.
This could be an advantage to Pereira as he will not only be quicker, but there also won’t be any non-functional mass.
Pereira is a serious contender
As previously mentioned, defeating Gane is no small feat as his prestigious Muay Thai background gives him an elite-level stand-up game.
He began competing in MMA after becoming a national champion at just 25 years of age.
However, Gane’s national Muay Thai titles don’t stack up against Pereira's two world titles.
World titles are a much bigger organisation, often considered as the very top of kickboxing.
Yet, this is MMA, and anything can happen once the octagon is closed.
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Gane accused of fighting dirty
Gane will be under an incredible amount of scrutiny, especially around any dirty tactics he may try to use.
His last trip to the ring was called short due to a fight-ending eye gouge on his opponent, Aspinall.
If he tries to employ the same tactics against Pereira, then it will become apparent that Gane is a dirty fighter.
Final verdict on Gane-Pereira bout
While Gane is a serious contender, Pereira’s striking prowess and MMA experience give him a serious competitive edge.
Given everything he’s been through up to this point in his career, Pereira is leaner, quicker, and more motivated than ever.
And while it may only be for an interim championship, having his first heavyweight fight be for any belt is a huge achievement for the Brazilian.
