Ciryl Gane Open to Alex Pereira Rematch as Aspinall Recovery Delays
Ciryl Gane has the interim UFC heavyweight belt around his waist and a title unification bout in his sights. But he’s not pretending the path is clear.
The Frenchman, who stopped Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in a storm of punches and elbows, says he’s ready to run it back with his Brazilian rival if champion Tom Aspinall remains sidelined.
The first meeting between Gane and Pereira ended in chaos as much as triumph. Gane claimed the interim heavyweight crown with a knockout, yet the finish came under an immediate cloud: several of the blows that badly hurt Pereira landed to the back of the head. Referee Herb Dean allowed the action to continue, chose not to deduct a point, and Gane walked out with the belt and a guaranteed shot at Aspinall.
That shot is now stuck in medical limbo.
Aspinall on Ice, Gane Gets Restless
Aspinall, the reigning heavyweight champion, still hasn’t been cleared to compete because of an eye injury. The matchup the division wants—Aspinall vs. Gane 2—remains an idea, not a date.
Gane isn’t hiding what he wants. Speaking to RMC Sport, he made it clear the priority is still Aspinall and unifying the titles, with his coach and manager Fernand Lopez in contact with the UFC about the rematch.
“We don’t know if there is a rematch against Tom Aspinall. We want it,” Gane said, explaining that the camp is preparing as if the Brit will be next. But he also made it equally clear he won’t sit on the sidelines waiting indefinitely.
“If tomorrow it will be someone else, it’s okay. What I would like is either Tom Aspinall or a rematch against Alex Pereira.”
Simple list. Two names. No third option.
The Pereira Question Refuses to Go Away
The controversy from UFC Freedom 250 never really cooled. Pereira absorbed illegal shots, went down, and lost his chance at heavyweight gold without any intervention from the referee. That kind of ending rarely disappears from memory, especially when it involves a star with Pereira’s profile.
A second fight almost sells itself. Same names. Same tension. This time, no asterisk.
The match also solves a looming scheduling problem for the UFC. If Aspinall’s eye doesn’t heal in time for a first-half-of-the-year defense, the promotion faces a choice: freeze the division or move the interim champion into another high-stakes bout. Gane’s willingness to face Pereira again gives matchmakers a clean, marketable escape route.
Pereira, for now, has no bout officially booked. He has been linked to a possible clash with rival Josh Hokit, but nothing is signed. That uncertainty keeps the door wide open for a return to heavyweight and an immediate shot at redemption against the man who stopped him.
Heavyweight Picture on a Knife Edge
Fans want Aspinall vs. Gane 2. The narrative is ready-made: the champion who surged through the division against the slick French technician who just grabbed the interim strap. It’s the kind of matchup that can anchor a major card on its own.
But the sport doesn’t wait forever.
If Aspinall can’t get medical clearance soon, the promotion will have to move. Gane has already signaled he won’t hesitate. Pereira has every reason to chase a rematch that could rewrite one of the most contentious nights of his career.
One injured champion. One interim king. One former victim demanding justice in everything but words.
The next move belongs to the UFC—and it may decide who really rules the heaviest division in the sport.
