Alex Pereira released a video statement Tuesday accusing his UFC Freedom 250 opponent Ciryl Gane of landing illegal blows to the back of his head while also criticizing how the fight was officiated.
Pereira suffered a TKO loss in the second round of his interim heavyweight title bout against Gane at the White House. The 38-year-old was attempting to become the first fighter in the promotion's history to win titles in three different weight classes.
During the closing moments of the match, Pereira sustained significant damage in the form of repeated strikes, with some punches and elbows connecting with the back of the Brazilian's head.
Pereira called those strikes illegal and questioned why referee Herb Dean didn't intervene or stop the match.
"I think if it weren't for those punches, I wouldn't be in that situation," Pereira said in Portuguese. "When the jab landed, I fell and grabbed his legs. Throwing elbows and punches, the guy was desperate. He landed a punch that he couldn't even believe and then he wanted to end the fight no matter what. The ref was there watching. ... The guy sees it's an illegal hit, but I think he's thinking, 'Bro, how am I gonna stop this fight?'"
Pereira continued to direct his frustration at Dean, challenging the veteran referee's integrity.
"He shouldn't have been refereeing that fight. To be honest, a guy like that should be punished," Pereira said.
Later Tuesday, Dean posted a video on Instagram explaining why Gane's punches in the closing sequence weren't considered fouls.
"The rule we're talking about is the back of the head, and that's confusing because it's different than boxing," Dean said.
He went on to explain that making contact with the nape of the neck is illegal, while blows to the side of the head are fair.
Gane has developed a reputation for committing fouls during fights. In October 2025, his UFC 321 match against heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall ended in a no-contest after the Frenchman delivered a double eye poke. He also received criticism for landing illegal elbows to the back of Junior Dos Santos' head during their 2020 fight.
