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Ciryl Gane Goes Against Dana White’s Wishes for Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Title Run

Originally posted on EssentiallySports | By Sudeep Sinha | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 5:03 AM ET

After Alex Pereira evened the score with Magomed Ankalaev earlier this month, he turned his sights on a heavyweight run. “All I want is a super fight at heavyweight,” Pereira said. His target? “I was going to ask for Jon Jones at the White House [card in June 2026]. [But] with everything that happened, it’s not the right time to talk about it.” Despite his delicate approach due to Jones’ brother’s death, he later reiterated his desire to face the retired, later un-retired, Jones.

It didn’t take long for UFC CEO Dana White to hear about the enormous commotion the Brazilian’s callout had started. “It’s not like jumping up two weight classes in boxing. It’s a big jump,” White said, explaining his concern. “It’s not that I have reservations about it. He’s in a division where there’s still some interesting fights.” Despite his concern, though, the cat’s out of the bag, and people are talking about it, including Ciryl Gane.

Ciryl Gane wants to run the fade with Alex Pereira

Speaking to Brian Campbell of The Brian Campbell Experience of late, the former interim heavyweight champion was asked about his thoughts on the kickboxer’s desire to move up in weight and whether he would be a threat. “Yes, of course. Yeah. Of course,” the French heavyweight said after his translator explained the question. Gane appeared to be a fan of Pereira’s striking and kickboxing background.

“[He’s] a really huge striker. [He’s] from kickboxing and I know he can do very well,” Gane added. He was especially impressed with the Brazilian’s ability to put on weight yet maintain his dominance across divisions. “I saw he improved, I don’t know how you say that, not improve, but his weight is more and more bigger, like so I think it’s legit to also go on the heavyweight division.”

Even though Pereira intends to fight Jon Jones in his heavyweight debut, ‘Bon Gamin’ couldn’t help but express his own desire to throw down with the Teixeira MMA & Fitness team member. “So, yeah, it will be really crazy, if I win this fight, to fighting against [Pereira],” Gane told Campbell during the interview. For now, though, the French heavyweight is focused on his upcoming challenge, which can help him become the new UFC heavyweight champion.

Gane is slated to face undisputed UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall on October 25 at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Coming back to ‘Poatan’ vs. Jones, though, Gane isn’t the only one advocating for Pereira’s move to heavyweight.

Joe Rogan brands Pereira vs. Jon Jones the biggest fight in human history

If Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones goes through, and they end up meeting inside the Octagon, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan feels the promotion has a blockbuster on its hands. After the Brazilian’s last win, Rogan appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience, advocating for the fight. “It would be Alex,” Rogan said. “[The Tom Aspinall matchup] hasn’t sailed, but the big money fight is Alex and Jon Jones at the White House. Are you f—king kidding me? Catchweight. Make it 225 pounds.”

That’s not all, though. Rogan wants this fight to be for a special belt. “Make it the ‘Bad Motherf—ker Upper Edition,’” he added, referencing the UFC’s symbolic BMF title. Forget about Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov, Rogan believes the fight will transcend every other UFC matchmaking. “The Jon Jones–Alex Pereira fight will probably be the biggest fight in human history, in MMA,” he claimed. “You’ve got the greatest of all time in Jon Jones and arguably the most destructive striker that’s ever competed.”

Clearly, there’s no shortage of hype behind an Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones fight in the heavyweight division. But will it convince Dana White to risk one of his biggest names to potentially take an L at the hands of Jones, who has shown he doesn’t play by the rules?

This article first appeared on EssentiallySports and was syndicated with permission.

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