Alex Pereira to vacate UFC light-heavyweight belt, anticipated to move up to heavyweight

Alex Pereira will vacate the UFC light-heavyweight title, according to CEO Dana White. With this move, the two-weight champ is longer the undisputed champion while Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg will fight for the vacant title.

Prochazka, a former light-heavyweight champion, will take on Ulberg on April 11 at UFC 327. Pereira, a fan favorite, has won the middleweight and light-heavyweight belts in his career.

“Poatan” has teased a potential move to the heavyweight division, where he’d be an instant contender for a third championship. Rumors have swirled about another return for Jon Jones, the former light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion.

Jones, considered the GOAT by many, stepped away and vacated his belt after a title defense against Stipe Miocic on November 16, 2024. Those same rumors have pitted Pereira against Jones at the UFC’s upcoming fight card at the White House in June.

MMA reporter Ariel Helwani said there have been talks about Pereira vs. Jones to headline the White House card. Due to the uncertain status of current heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who’s dealing with an eye injury stemming from his last fight, there could be a belt on the line.

“There have been some talks of that,” Helwani said. “I think that would be a tremendous White House main event. I don’t know if they ultimately get it done. And I think if they don’t get it done what I’m hearing is they would do Alex vs. Ciryl Gane.”

As it stands, Aspinall is the champion, but Gane is the No. 1 contender. Should Pereira officially move up, challenging Gane makes sense for the interim or vacant belt.

Pereira is 13-3 in his MMA career, having won the UFC’s middleweight and light-heavyweight belts. He chased long time rival Israel Adesanya from kickboxing to MMA and defeated him on November 12, 2022 via TKO to win the middleweight belt. The two had an immediate rematch on April 8, 2023, won by Adesanya via KO.

After losing the belt, Pereira moved up to light-heavyweight and beat former champion Jan Blachowicz via split decision on July 29, 2023. Then, he beat Prochazka later that year for the vacant belt. After beating him by TKO, Pereira defended the belt vs. Jamahal Hill (KO), Prochazka again (TKO) and Khalil Rountree (TKO).

Pereira lost to Magomed Ankaleav by decision on March 8th, 2025 but rematched him last October. In their second fight, Pereira regained the belt winning via TKO in the first round.