Ciryl Gane Ready for Rematch with Alex Pereira if Aspinall Can't Fight
Ciryl Gane isn’t waiting around.
The UFC interim heavyweight champion has made it clear: if Tom Aspinall’s damaged eye keeps him on the sidelines, he’s more than willing to run it back with Alex Pereira.
A Controversial Night, An Open Door
Gane’s first meeting with Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 ended with the Frenchman holding interim gold and the Brazilian flat on the canvas. It also ended with a cloud over it.
Several of the blows that hurt Pereira — punches and elbows as Gane swarmed for the finish — landed to the back of the head. Referee Herb Dean chose not to intervene, no warning, no point deduction, no stoppage for a foul. The fight stood. So did the result. Gane walked away with the belt and, on paper, a clean knockout win.
The controversy never really left.
What it did give Gane was a ticket to a unification bout with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. That remains the fight the division wants, and the fight Gane still targets. But Aspinall’s eye injury has stalled everything at the top of the division, and the calendar waits for no one.
Gane’s Message: Aspinall First, Pereira Next
Speaking to RMC Sport, Gane laid out his priorities with the kind of calm that has defined his rise.
He stressed that the focus remains on Aspinall and a second meeting with the Brit, with the UFC already in talks with his coach and manager Fernand Lopez. The goal is clear: unify the belts, settle the argument at heavyweight, and remove any asterisk from his status as interim champion.
But he didn’t stop there.
If Aspinall can’t go, Gane said he would gladly accept a rematch with Pereira. No drama, no posturing. Just a simple preference list: Tom Aspinall at the top, Alex Pereira right behind him.
For a man who already holds a knockout win over the Brazilian, that’s a bold stance. It also acknowledges what everyone else can see — the first fight left questions.
UFC’s Heavyweight Puzzle
The promotion now faces a familiar problem: a champion who isn’t cleared, an interim titleholder ready to fight, and a fan base that wants answers.
Aspinall vs. Gane 2 is the natural choice. Their first encounter produced a definitive finish and a clear storyline. The rematch would unify the division and give heavyweight a firm direction again.
But if Aspinall’s medical clearance drags on, the UFC cannot simply park its interim champion and freeze the belt. At some point, the division has to move. Gane is healthy, willing, and already floating the name that makes the most sense if the champion stays out: Alex Pereira.
Pereira, for his part, doesn’t have a bout signed. He has been linked to a potential matchup with rival Josh Hokit, a fight that would keep him busy and away from Gane. Nothing is done yet, though, and the heavyweight picture could change quickly if the UFC decides it needs a marquee headliner and a clear narrative.
Run back a controversial knockout. Settle an unfinished argument. Keep the interim belt active while the champion heals.
It’s an easy sell.
A Division Waiting on One Green Light
Everything now hinges on one thing: Aspinall’s eye.
If the champion receives the all-clear, the path is straightforward. Gane gets the unification bout he wants, the rematch fans have been calling for, and the heavyweight division finally moves out of limbo.
If not, the UFC will have a choice to make — wait again, or lean into the storm and book Gane vs. Pereira 2.
Either way, Gane has already made his move. He’s ready for Aspinall. He’s ready for Pereira. The only question left is which rival steps through the cage door first.
