Alex Pereira is making no secret of his profound frustration with the UFC brass and former double-division champion-turned-analyst Daniel Cormier. The superstar striker’s aspirations of capturing an unprecedented third divisional title hit a massive roadblock earlier this year, and as the promotion shapes its upcoming pay-per-view schedule, Pereira believes a deliberate narrative has been constructed behind the scenes to freeze him out of an immediate championship rematch.
The roots of the current controversy trace back to UFC Freedom 250, an event held earlier this year on June 14 at the White House, where Pereira made his much-anticipated heavyweight debut. Having previously vacated his light heavyweight championship belt in a bold and historic quest to become the first fighter in the history of the promotion to secure titles across three distinct weight classes, Pereira stepped into the Octagon to challenge for the interim heavyweight strap. Standing across from him was elite contender Ciryl “Bon Gamin” Gane.
That high-stakes clash, however, ended in devastating fashion for the Brazilian striker. In the second round, Gane caught Pereira, finishing him via technical knockout and abruptly halting his historic three-division campaign. In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, Pereira was vocal about the manner in which the fight concluded. He firmly believed that the finishing sequence involved illegal blows delivered to the back of his head, a critical infraction that he argues directly contributed to his sudden downfall and the shattering of his championship ambitions.
Looking to right what he perceived as a controversial wrong, Pereira immediately campaigned for an immediate rematch against Gane to run back the contest, clear the air regarding the disputed blows, and earn another opportunity at the heavyweight gold.
The UFC matchmakers, however, ultimately elected to go in a completely different direction. Instead of granting Pereira the rematch he desired, the promotion booked Gane to make his first official title defense against undefeated contender Josh Hokit at UFC 334. Meanwhile, Pereira has been slotted into a different high-stakes heavyweight showdown, scheduled to face off against the formidable Russian contender Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335.
Unhappy with how the matchmaking landscape unfolded, Pereira recently sat down for an interview with Laerte Viana to air his grievances. During the conversation, “Poatan” did not hold back, alleging that a concerted effort was made by both the UFC leadership and high-profile broadcast personalities—specifically targeting Daniel Cormier—to influence public opinion and manufacture consent for the Gane versus Hokit matchup.
According to Pereira, the promotion used purported polling data as a tool to legitimize a fight that fans might otherwise have questioned, backed up by on-air analysts who primed the audience to accept the booking without resistance.
“At first, the UFC said they did a poll, and that this will be the fight. I said, OK… It’s all kind of manipulated,” Pereira told Laerte Viana during the interview. “I saw before the announcement that Cormier and other guys saying that it will be a good fight. Hey, go ahead, say that this fight is good so that when we drop it, the public will be OK with it and agree with you. I think they did everything there to make people believe that this should be the fight.”
Pereira’s grievances with Cormier extend beyond the promotional push for UFC 334. In the same interview, the former two-division champion revealed an interaction he had with the UFC Hall of Famer regarding the stakes of his initial heavyweight venture. Pereira recounted asking Cormier whether securing a victory over Ciryl Gane in their June encounter would definitively cement his status as the rightful champion.
Cormier’s response, according to Pereira, was dismissive and lacked logical consistency, leaving the Brazilian baffled by the analyst’s perspective on the division’s championship hierarchy.
“I [asked Cormier] if I defeat Ciryl Gane, am I the champion? He said I don’t think so,” Pereira shared, expressing his bewilderment at the analyst’s logic. “So the guy has opinions that don’t make sense.”
As the promotion moves forward toward its upcoming numbered events, the fallout from Pereira’s explosive remarks highlights the underlying tensions that frequently exist between elite fighters and the promotional apparatus that schedules them. While the UFC has locked in Ciryl Gane’s defense against Josh Hokit for UFC 334, Pereira will have to redirect his focus toward his upcoming meeting with Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335. Whether his impressive star power and persistent calls will eventually earn him another path back to heavyweight gold remains to be seen, but Pereira has made it abundantly clear that he believes external forces were at play in keeping him away from an immediate shot at redemption.
