Alex Pereira Is Close to Becoming GOAT of MMA with UFC Freedom 250 Victory, Says Dana White

Alex Pereira has the chance to finally change UFC CEO Dana White's perception of the MMA GOAT debate if he wins at UFC Freedom 250.

Alex Pereira Is Close to Becoming GOAT of MMA with UFC Freedom 250 Victory, Says Dana White

Alex Pereira's standing revealed by Dana White (via MMA Fighting, Reddit)

Alex Pereira entered the UFC as a two-division GLORY champion and quickly became a major star. He won UFC titles at middleweight and light heavyweight in a short span, building a rare championship résumé. Now, Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250, chasing a third divisional title. Dana White weighed in on his potential MMA legacy if he triumphs over Gane.

Pereira experienced a rocky 2025 campaign in the UFC light heavyweight division. He lost his title at UFC 313 when Magomed Ankalaev defeated him to capture the belt. However, the Brazilian superstar responded quickly with a strong turnaround performance. At UFC 320, Pereira knocked out Ankalaev to regain the light heavyweight championship and become a two-time champion in the division.

Pereira stated his heavyweight ambitions after regaining gold at UFC 320. He then shifted focus toward a historic move up in weight. He is now set to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250. A win would make Pereira a three-division UFC champion, a feat never achieved in UFC history. White suggested that a win at the White House could push ‘Poatan’ into GOAT status.

You’ve got Pereira possibly winning his third world title. If he wins the third world title that night, he jumps over Jon Jones and becomes the greatest of all-time.

Dana White via Forbes

There was a minor rift between Pereira and the UFC CEO in recent years following UFC 313. Pereira had called out the UFC after believing he would not receive an immediate rematch against Ankalaev. However, Pereira is now on a new eight-fight UFC contract, signaling that the dispute has since been resolved.

White’s recent comments are notable given his long-standing position that UFC legend Jon Jones holds GOAT status. Jones has often been presented as the benchmark for greatness across divisions. However, tensions emerged between Jones and White after the UFC boss confirmed Jones’ retirement. Jones was also left out of plans for the White House event, further fueling disagreement between both sides.

A victory over Ciryl Gane would place ‘Poatan’ in unprecedented UFC territory as a multi-division champion. UFC legend Daniel Cormier has suggested that such an achievement would place Pereira among the most accomplished fighters the sport has ever seen. Dana White’s comments also hint that the outcome could significantly reshape discussions of Alex Pereira’s legacy in combat sports history.

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Ciryl Gane has a different game plan heading into the fight against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250

Alex Pereira has built his UFC reputation on elite knockout power, with stoppage wins over Israel Adesanya and Jamahal Hill highlighting his striking threat. However, concerns around his grappling have remained a talking point. His fight against Jan Błachowicz at UFC 291 showed he can be controlled on the ground at times, raising questions about his defensive wrestling.

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

Ciryl Gane is widely regarded as one of the most mobile and technically refined heavyweights in UFC history. His footwork, timing, and distance control separate him from most fighters in the division, who typically rely on power and pressure. Ahead of UFC Freedom 250, Gane has also hinted at potentially integrating more wrestling into his game plan against Alex Pereira.

I don’t want to say it’s going to be an 100% striking match. This is MMA. Everybody knows I can do some wrestling. I can finish fights on the ground.

Ciryl Gane via UFC on Paramount

‘Poatan’ has worked on his wrestling despite being known primarily as a striker. He was seen training grappling at multiple points in his UFC career to improve defensive awareness. These improvements aim to reduce vulnerabilities while preserving his knockout threat. Pereira enters UFC Freedom 250 as one of the most dangerous fighters, while Ciryl Gane will look to use any available path to win the interim title.

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