Alex Pereira says the timing is right for his move to heavyweight as he prepares to face Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title at the UFC White House card on June 14.
The former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion revealed that a move to heavyweight had previously been discussed earlier this year, but the fight did not materialise at the time. With undisputed heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall sidelined due to an eye injury, the UFC opted to schedule an interim title fight featuring Pereira and Gane.
“Well, I think the right moment is now,” Pereira said, according to promotional material released by Paramount and noted by MMA Fighting. “At certain points before but I don’t really remember when we could have moved up to heavyweight but it would have felt a bit forced. Not now. Now it’s happening very naturally, in a perfect fight.”
Pereira added that discussions about the matchup had taken place earlier in the year. “This fight was supposed to happen earlier, at the first event of the year but for a few reasons it didn’t happen and now this has become a big moment,” he said.
The Brazilian also discussed his weight ahead of the contest, revealing that he had previously reached 258 pounds before settling closer to his intended fight night weight. “Around [242-pounds],” Pereira said when asked how much he expects to weigh on fight night.. “Not too heavy, I was heavier before though. I got up to [258-pounds] and then I gradually started cutting back down.”
The expected weight for the Gane fight is notable given Pereira previously cut from a similar weight to compete at light heavyweight. “I was at [242-pounds], then I dropped to [205-pounds],” Pereira said. “Now doing the math is difficult.”
Pereira also said the move to heavyweight has removed the strain associated with significant weight cuts. “It helps me a lot because of my diet. I don’t have that concern anymore,” Pereira said. “When I was a middleweight, it was much more complicated. About a month before the fight, I had to cut back heavily on food, maybe even feel a bit weaker. The weight cut was pretty aggressive. Now I don’t have that concern anymore and for me, that’s very important.”
