Ciryl Gane kept the UFC Freedom 250 knockout parade going on Sunday, stopping former two-division champion Alex Pereira in the second round in what was a brilliant performance to win the interim heavyweight championship for the second time in his career.
Pereira immediately opened with a big head kick, sending an early message to Gane. Pereira also worked some low calf kicks as Gane tried to close the distance with jabs that weren’t connecting. Gane instead switched to leg kicks and front kicks to try and change the pace of the fight. Gane then shot for the first takedown attempt of the fight, which Pereira easily shrugged off.
Gane continued to pick up his offense, mixing in various shots, including his jab finally working to set up the straight left hand. Both men continued to land some good leg kicks before another head kick attempt from Pereira missed by inches, but a big Pereira right hand landed moments later to close the round.
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Gane continued to fire kicks and then landed a big counter jab that dropped Pereira. Gane followed up with heavy shots and elbows as Pereira looked for a desperation takedown, but somehow Pereira survived.
Gane continued to bring the assault to Pereira, putting him on wobbly legs over and over as referee Herb Dean seemed close to stopping the fight.
As Pereira stumbled back into the Octagon fence, Gane fired more big shots. This time, as Pereira slumped against the Octagon wall, Dean jumped in to halt the fight at the 1:27 mark of Round 2.
The performance was arguably the best of Gane’s career, as he took on a legend and looked to be the better man from the early moments of the fight with a more dynamic attack.
“We worked on it, we did a really great job with my team,” Gane said after the win. “I’m really proud of myself and my team. … We knew that was possible to do. We knew that.”
Gane is now positioned for a rematch with heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. In Gane’s first fight with Aspinall, he was performing tremendously before the fight was halted after Gane poked Aspinall in both eyes, leaving Aspinall sidelined ever since.
“We will see,” Gane said of a rematch. “Next, let’s do it in Paris in September.”
For Pereira, his attempt to win UFC gold in a third division came up short in brutal fashion.
“This was the risk, you know? If I hadn’t taken a risk every time I fought, I wouldn’t be here today,” Pereira said before addressing whether his future was at heavyweight or a return to light heavyweight. “… I don’t know, we’re going to sit down and look at it. The same way we lost at middleweight, we’re going to sit down with my team and talk about it.”
