Former UFC two-division champion Alex Pereira has said that he needs to win just one fight and return to winning ways so that he can get a shot at the heavyweight championship.

Pereira vacated his 205-pound throne earlier this year in pursuit of three-division glory. At UFC Freedom 250, he locked horns with Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship.

However, in Round 2 of the White House main event, “Poatan” was knocked out, and his hopes of becoming the first UFC fighter to hold belts in three different weight classes were dashed.

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Says Alex Pereira’s June 14 Loss Was “Completely Legitimate” [Images via UFC and Getty]

Pereira expressed his frustration with referee Herb Dean after the June 14 loss, after Dean failed to intervene despite multiple illegal blows being landed to the back of Pereira’s head by “Bon Gamin.”

After being sent back to the drawing board, Pereira, who wants to spend the rest of his career at heavyweight, now believes he is just one win away from a title shot. In a recent interview, he said:

“I definitely want to fight before [Aspinall vs Gane], and after that I definitely want to fight for the title.”

Check out Alex Pereira’s comments below:

Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane are expected to meet later this year to unify the belts, and once the dust settles, “Poatan” wants to fight the undisputed heavyweight titleholder.

Who can Alex Pereira fight next?

Alex Pereira could be facing polarizing heavyweight Josh Hokit next. The 28-year-old undefeated 265-pound contender has scored three big wins already in 2026 and plans to enter the octagon 2 more times this year.

Before and after the UFC Freedom 250 card, Hokit took several shots at Pereira and even dragged “Poatan’s” mother into the trash talk. Given the intense bad blood between the two, it’s a matchup that Pereira, Hokit, and the fans would all love to see.

Josh Hokit Rejects Alex Pereira’s Prediction About His UFC Future. [Images via UFC]

Hokit wants Pereira’s name and stardom to catapult his own, and “Poatan” wants to teach the American a lesson for crossing the line many times.

Subham

Subham is a writer and editor with experience spanning MMA, Health & Fitness, true crime, and pop culture. He has previously worked with Sportskeeda MMA, SK True Crime, and SK Pop, Movies, and Shows.
He currently covers the UFC for LowKickMMA and MMA Pros Picks.