Francis Ngannou believes Ciryl Gane would present a difficult stylistic challenge for Alex Pereira.
Pereira is gearing up to make his heavyweight debut against Gane for the interim title in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250, scheduled for June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.
“Poatan” has enjoyed a meteoric rise in combat sports, building an impressive legacy in just 12 UFC appearances. Notably, in a little over two years, Pereira became the promotion’s ninth two-division champion, making history by capturing both the middleweight and light heavyweight titles.
Now, the 38-year-old Brazilian stands on the brink of making even greater history. A victory over Gane would see him become the first fighter ever to capture UFC titles across three different weight classes. Given his devastating striking arsenal, many fans and pundits believe that milestone is well within reach.
However, Francis Ngannou sees it differently. The former UFC heavyweight champion, who has previously beaten Ciryl Gane, believes Alex Pereira could find victory hard to come by at the White House event.
Francis Ngannou Says Ciryl Gane Poses Major Problems For Alex Pereira
During a recent interview with Helen Yee, ahead of his MMA return against Philipe Lins in the co-main event of the MVP MMA card on May 16, Francis Ngannou shared his thoughts on the Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane matchup.
Although “The Predator” gave him his due credit, he predicted that Gane could prove to be a stylistic nightmare for the former two-division UFC champion, especially with the move up to a heavier division.
“I think Ciryl has more tools, and then Alex Pereira has his own style. Ciryl Gane has his own style,” Ngannou said. “For me, and I might be wrong, but it’s not a good matchup for Alex Pereira in terms of style, basically if he’s moving up to the division and has to face a heavyweight who is even lighter on his feet.”
“Poatan” was last seen in action at UFC 320 in October, where he secured a first-round knockout win over Magomed Ankalaev to reclaim the light heavyweight title. He holds a 10-2 record in the UFC, with notable victories over Jiri Prochazka, Israel Adesanya, and Khalil Rountree Jr.
Meanwhile, Ciryl Gane is coming off a no-contest after accidentally poking heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in the eye during their title bout at UFC 321 in October, leaving Aspinall unable to continue. “Bon Gamin” holds a 10-2 record with one no-contest in the UFC, including victories over Derrick Lewis, Sergey Spivak, and Tai Tuivasa.
