Ciryl Gane Stops Alex Pereira to Capture UFC Interim Heavyweight Title at the White House

On June 14 2026, UFC Freedom 250 staged its co-main event on the South Lawn of the White House. Ciryl Gane (France) defeated Alex Pereira (Brazil) by technical knockout at 1:27 of round 2, securing the interim heavyweight championship. Referee Herb Dean halted the contest after a jab-driven knock-down followed by a barrage of elbows and punches left Pereira unable to defend himself.

Mirror - UK

Pereira entered the fight as a two-division champion (UFC middleweight and light heavyweight) seeking a historic third-division belt. He had vacated his 205-lb title in February to move up to heavyweight, weighing 151 lb for the bout. Gane, a former interim heavyweight champion (2021) with prior victories over Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, was pursuing a second interim title to position himself for a unification bout with undisputed champion Tom Aspinall, who remains sidelined after an eye-poke injury.

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• Ciryl Gane: 14-2 (1 NC) overall, 7 KO/TKO victories, 6-ft-4-in height, 81-in reach.

Ciryl Gane beats Alex Pereira by TKO in round 2 at UFC Freedom 250

• Alex Pereira: 13-4 overall, 10-3 in the UFC, 85 % knockout rate, 6-ft-4-in height, 251 lb weigh-in (career-high).

New York Post

• Fight duration: 7 minutes 44 seconds total; Gane landed a higher volume of significant strikes in both rounds, while Pereira’s only notable strike in round 1 was a right hand near the bell.

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Gane praised his preparation, noting pride in his team and confidence that the victory proved the feasibility of his game plan. He also expressed interest in a September title fight in Paris against Aspinall. Pereira framed the loss as a calculated risk, indicating he would review his options with his team before deciding whether to remain at heavyweight or return to light heavyweight. UFC president Dana White reiterated that a three-belt win would have vaulted Pereira into GOAT discussions, while acknowledging Gane’s performance as “heavyweight that moves like a middleweight.”

ESPN

Gane’s reputation for accidental fouls resurfaced after his prior eye-poke on Aspinall; he defended the incidents as inadvertent and typical of MMA’s fast exchanges. Some commentators questioned the propriety of staging a championship bout at the White House, citing political overtones, but the UFC maintained the event celebrated the United States’ 250th anniversary.

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• “I'm really proud of myself and my team. ... We knew that was possible to do. We knew that.” — Ciryl Gane, post-fight interview

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• “Next, let's do it in Paris in September.” — Ciryl Gane, press conference

CBS Sports

• “This was the risk, you know? If I hadn't taken a risk every time I fought, I wouldn't be here today,” — Alex Pereira, post-fight interview

CBS Sports

• “He'd win three belts. The guy used to weigh 185 pounds. And if he wins a belt on heavyweight on Sunday, pretty tough to argue he's not the GOAT.” — Dana White, pre-fight comments

Bleacher Report

Gane’s interim title positions him for a unification clash with Tom Aspinall once the British champion’s eye injuries heal. Gane has publicly suggested a September showdown in Paris, while Pereira indicated he will “sit down” with his team to determine his future weight-class direction. Both fighters remain central to the heavyweight division’s title picture heading into the remainder of 2026.

Heavy