Heavyweight Contender Picks Ciryl Gane as Better Striker Than Alex Pereira Ahead of UFC Freedom 250

Waldo Cortes-Acosta weighs in on the interim title fight between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250.

Heavyweight Contender Picks Ciryl Gane as Better Striker Than Alex Pereira Ahead of UFC Freedom 250

Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira outside the White House (via Instagram)

In Short
  • Ciryl Gane faces Alex Pereira for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250.
  • Waldo Cortes-Acosta believes Gane is the more refined striker compared to Pereira.
  • Concerns exist about Pereira's knockout power translating to heavyweight after his recent weight changes.

Ciryl Gane is one of the most experienced heavyweights on the UFC roster, having previously held the interim title. He has competed in multiple title fights at the division’s highest level but has not secured a long-term undisputed reign. He now faces Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 for the interim heavyweight belt. Rising contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta has now weighed in on the stylistic implications of the bout.

Gane’s 2025 campaign proved disappointing as he faced UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in what was the French fighter’s third attempt at undisputed status. However, the bout ended in a no-contest after a double eye poke from Gane left Aspinall unable to continue. The incident sidelined the champion for months due to severe eye injuries and prompted the creation of an interim title fight.

Pereira enters the matchup after vacating his light heavyweight belt following a successful reclaim at UFC 320, stepping up to heavyweight as a former two-division champion. Known as ‘Poatan,’ he remains one of the most dangerous strikers in the sport. However, Waldo Cortes-Acosta recently analyzed the matchup and suggested that Gane holds the edge as the more refined striker.

Ciryl Gane is the better striker, because he’s more versatile, he moves better, he’s more dynamic. His striking is for Martial Arts. Striking in Kickboxing is different. Ciryl Gane’s striking is more well-rounded.

Waldo Cortes Acosta via Home Of Fight

According to official UFC statistics, Gane has only four knockout victories across 13 appearances in the promotion, while the Brazilian superstar has already recorded eight knockouts in 12 UFC fights. However, ‘Bon Gamin’ has also faced criticism for repeated fouls, including eye pokes and illegal strikes to the back of the head, which have raised questions about his reliability as an opponent and fighter overall.

There have also been doubts about Pereira’s knockout power translating to heavyweight, especially after his Paramount+ photoshoot appearance showed a noticeably bulkier physique compared to his usual fighting frame. However, ‘Poatan’ has promised he will be in proper shape for the fight on June 14th at the White House, noting he still has six to seven weeks to complete his physical transformation.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta remains a significant rising force in the heavyweight division, having competed five times in 2025 and most recently securing a knockout win over Derrick Lewis at UFC 324. He is now scheduled to face Alexander Volkov at UFC 328, and a victory there could position him directly for the winner of Ciryl Gane vs Alex Pereira, particularly if Tom Aspinall is unable to make a timely return.

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Top heavyweight questions the credibility of Ciryl Gane vs Alex Pereira

Before fighting Tom Aspinall at UFC 321, Ciryl Gane faced Alexander Volkov in a controversial heavyweight clash. Gane was awarded a split decision victory after a closely contested battle. However, the result immediately drew debate over the judges’ scoring. UFC CEO Dana White also questioned the decision, while many observers and fans believed Volkov had done enough to win the fight.

Ciryl Gane, Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane face-off [via La Seuer+]

After the loss to Gane, Volkov went on to win another controversial fight against Jailton Almeida at UFC 321. While Volkov spent most of the fight on the bottom, he was still awarded the decision as Almeida landed no meaningful offense, sparking further debate over judging. As he prepares to face Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 328, the Russian veteran has also weighed in on Gane’s fight against Alex Pereira.

Alex Pereira…he just lost to the guy (Magomed Ankalaev), then he beats him with just broken rib, and now he want to go one category up, where he never fought, and they give him title shot? Like, in logic, it doesn’t have any sense. It’s just marketing. It’s nothing more about how many followers and how many fans he have. Maybe it’s good for UFC, maybe more people will watching this fight, maybe this they will do this White House card more loud, but it’s nothing about like a real champ.

Alexander Volkov via MMA Fighting

Volkov’s recent controversial results, along with Gane’s disputed win over him, have intensified scrutiny over judging in the heavyweight division. The rankings remain unstable heading into UFC 328. His fight against a younger and more active Waldo Cortes-Acosta now carries added stakes, with a clear win potentially boosting his case for another title push.

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