Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane (Photo by Imagn Images)

MMA Veteran Says Ciryl Gane Could Give Alex Pereira His Best Chance at Heavyweight

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated Mar 15, 2026 3:23 PM ET

The White House card had very mixed reactions. Some fans say the hype is missing in this card since Conor McGregor and Jon Jones aren’t part of the event. But recently, MMA veteran Alistair Overeem believes the interim heavyweight championship fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane is the most exciting one.

Overeem believes a fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane would suit Pereira better. The 45-year-old explained that Gane is mainly a striker, which plays into Pereira’s strengths. He also mentioned that facing Jones would’ve been trouble for the Brazilian star. In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, the MMA veteran said:

“I think for Pereira, the Gane fight is more beneficial. Gane is more of a striker than a wrestler or submission artist like Jon. It’s going to be a great fight and more favorable to Pereira.”

Alistair Overeem believes the Ciryl Gane fight is favorable to Alex Pereira

"I think for Pereira, the Gane fight is more beneficial. Gane is more of a striker than a wrestler or submission artist like Jon. It's going to be a great fight and more favorable to Pereira."

(Via:… pic.twitter.com/fP6s5iH7MO
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) March 15, 2026

The former light heavyweight champ had a dominant run in the light heavyweight division. He cleared the division and now looks to claim the third title soon. But the French fighter is also known for good striking, and this makes Pereira vs. Gane one of the most interesting fights.

Michael Bisping Says Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane Is More Exciting Than Pereira vs. Jon Jones

Ciryl Gane, Alex Pereira, and Jon Jones (Photo by Imagn Images)

Even though stars like Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira are on the card, many fans were hoping to see the highly anticipated Jon Jones vs. Pereira fight. ‘Poatan’ is facing Ciryl Gane now, and a UFC veteran said this fight could deliver more action than Pereira vs. Jones. Talking about it on a recent UFC show, Bisping said:

“You gotta think Jon Jones would’ve probably just tried to wrestle him. We’re gonna see Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira having a world class kickboxing match in 4oz gloves.”

Michael Bisping says Pereira/Gane is a better fight than Pereira/Jones

“You gotta think Jon Jones would’ve probably just tried to wrestle him.

We’re gonna see Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira having a world class kickboxing match in 4oz gloves”

via @ufc pic.twitter.com/pdizQy4eN6
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) March 13, 2026

According to Bisping, Jones would likely rely on wrestling and control if he fought Pereira, which might slow the fight down. But Pereira vs. Gane would likely turn into a high-level striking battle. Since both Pereira and Gane prefer to strike, fans could see an explosive stand-up fight with a possible knockout.

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

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