Pereira On Herb Dean After UFC White House Loss

Alex Pereira says his beef is with referee Herb Dean, not the fighter who knocked him out at UFC White House.

The former two-division champion moved up to heavyweight in June to challenge Ciryl Gane for an interim title on the South Lawn but was stopped in the second round after absorbing what Pereira claims were multiple illegal blows to the back of the head. As MMA Fighting first reported, Pereira directed his frustration at Dean following the loss and has continued to call out the veteran referee whenever he makes a mistake.

Why Pereira Blames Dean Over Gane

Speaking to The Mac Life at UFC Belgrade last weekend, Pereira explained why he holds the official responsible rather than his opponent. "Mistakes happen in fights," Pereira said through a translator, per the outlet. "Fighters are obviously under a lot of adrenaline, and kind of taken by the moment, so things happen. But I don't think the ref has the benefit of not being in there and being emotional or anything else."

He added that Dean should have stepped in to distinguish legal strikes from illegal ones, noting that he absorbed both types during the finish. Pereira said he felt the initial jab that dropped him and believes he might have recovered if the referee had enforced the rules.

The Brazilian remains committed to staying at heavyweight despite the setback. Pereira told reporters he intends to finish what he started at UFC White House and expects another title opportunity. No next fight has been announced for the former light heavyweight champion.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Alex Pereira explains why he’s upset with Herb Dean and not Ciryl Gane after UFC White House controversy | MMA Fighting