Alex Pereira Opens Up On Physical Changes Ahead Of Heavyweight Test At UFC Freedom 250: 'Didn’t Lose Anything'

Alex Pereira (Image Credits: Imagn)

Alex Pereira Opens Up On Physical Changes Ahead Of Heavyweight Test At UFC Freedom 250: 'Didn’t Lose Anything'

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated May 22, 2026 4:56 PM ET

Alex Pereira has never been someone who second-guesses himself. And that hasn’t changed even after adding significant size ahead of his fight with Ciryl Gane. The former two-division UFC champion is preparing for one of the biggest cards in UFC history, the White House event. Fans are wondering if getting bigger would change what makes Pereira so dangerous. ‘Poatan’ says it will not change anything.

Pereira says he still feels the same even after moving to a bigger weight class. He admitted he might lose a little speed from the extra weight, but he does not feel weaker or slower right now. The Brazilian star believes he has only added more weight and strength without losing the skills that made him dangerous before.

“I feel the exact same. Obviously it’s not possible to bulk up to a much higher weight class, bigger, and not lose maybe a little bit of speed. We’ll see in the fight. But I feel the exact same. I just added, but didn’t lose anything,” Pereira said.

Alex Pereira says he feels exactly the same since bulking up

“I feel the exact same. Obviously it's not possible to bulk up to a much higher weight class, bigger, and not lose maybe a little bit of speed. We'll see in the fight.
But I feel the exact same. I just added, but… pic.twitter.com/hlICDQEXXL
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) May 22, 2026

Pereira has already climbed from middleweight to light heavyweight and cleaned out the division. Now he’s testing himself at an even bigger stage, literally and figuratively. If Pereira has lost even a step, Gane has the skill set to find it and exploit it.

Tom Aspinall Explains Why Ciryl Gane Could Outsmart Alex Pereira

Aspinall believes Gane could have a style advantage against Pereira in a heavyweight fight. He pointed out that Pereira’s leg kicks are very dangerous because Gane has struggled to defend them before. Even with Pereira’s knockout power, Aspinall still feels Gane’s movement and speed could help him stay away from danger and win the fight on points.

“Gane doesn’t like leg kicks. His leg kick defense isn’t great. Alex Pereira is an unbelievable leg kicker. I struggle to pick a winner at this stage…I would say Gane by points. He’s just gonna move too much for him, and beat him on points,” Pereira said.

Tom Aspinall breaks down Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane and picks Gane to win via decision

"[Pereira] carries a lot of power at 205 and 185, but he's also fighting a lot smaller guys… A big factor why he's knocking guys out is because he's a lot bigger than them. Ciryl Gane is… pic.twitter.com/c5uD5vREHg
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 21, 2026

If Pereira beats Gane, it would become a very special moment in UFC history. He would become the first fighter ever to win championships in three different UFC weight classes. That is something no fighter has ever done before, which is why many fans see this fight as such a big deal.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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