Alex Pereira responds to Ciryl Gane training with his kickboxing foe Artem Vakhitov for UFC Freedom 250
Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane will clash at UFC Freedom 250. "Poatan" has now issued his response to Gane training with his kickboxing rival, Artem Vakhitov, for their MMA fight.
Alex Pereira has shared epic rivalries with some of the greatest fighters in kickboxing and MMA. One such combat sports maestro happens to be former Glory Kickboxing light heavyweight champion, Russia's Artem Vakhitov.
The veteran kickboxer is booked to fight Michael Boapeah in the Glory Kickboxing light heavyweight grand prix quarterfinals at Glory Collision 9 on June 13. The aforementioned grand prix is an eight-man, one-night tournament -- the winner of which would become the new Glory Kickboxing light heavyweight champion.
Vakhitov has opened up about Pereira's upcoming fight against Ciryl Gane and why Gane is likely to emerge victorious. Additionally, Pereira has notably responded to Vakhitov's training with Gane.
The Alex Pereira vs. Artem Vakhitov kickboxing rivalry
Alex Pereira is a former Glory Kickboxing middleweight and light heavyweight champion. He's also an ex-UFC middleweight and light heavyweight titlist. Prior to his UFC career, "Poatan" clashed twice against Vakhitov in the sport of kickboxing.
Their first encounter saw Pereira beat the Russian fighter via split decision to win the Glory Kickboxing light heavyweight belt at Glory 77: Rotterdam in January 2021. Their second encounter witnessed Vakhitov reclaim the title by beating the Brazilian fighter via majority decision at Glory 78: Rotterdam in September 2021.
Currently, Alex Pereira is booked to take on ex-UFC interim heavyweight titleholder Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. The fight's victor would earn the right to face reigning UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall when the latter returns from his eye injury-induced hiatus.
Artem Vakhitov has helped Ciryl Gane train for his UFC Freedom 250 match against Alex Pereira
In the UFC Freedom 250 Countdown video posted to the UFC's official YouTube channel, Artem Vakhitov was shown training with Ciryl Gane. The striking savant also outlined what he believes are Alex Pereira's strengths and weaknesses.
Vakhitov stated, "What makes Alex Pereira dangerous is his stone hands. He has knocked many people out in kickboxing and MMA. Minimal technique, but very effective strikes that land. His weakness is his openness. He has a very strong attack, but his defense suffers."
Also, Vakhitov himself briefly ventured into MMA a few years back and even competed in the UFC-affiliated DWCS (Dana White's Contender Series) in 2024. He asserted that many foes lose to Pereira mentally well before the fight. The kickboxer noted that one needs to move forward and be aggressive against Pereira, which is when the latter feels lost.
Furthermore, Vakhitov alluded to Israel Adesanya's feud with Pereira and how "The Last Stylebender" -- being a classic kickboxer -- capitalized on the Brazilian combatant's defensive flaws to KO him.
The kickboxing mainstay explained that Gane is also a kickboxer -- who boasts incredibly good movement, timing, feel, and speed. He underscored that it's an intriguing fight, adding that Pereira's weight gain won't help either because Gane is more accustomed to heavyweight.
Vakhitov warned, "The fight will end early. Ciryl will finish the job and take the title."
Alex Pereira's response to Ciryl Gane training with Artem Vakhitov ahead of the UFC White House event
The focus then shifted to Alex Pereira, who was shown training in Sobralia, Brazil. Pereira responded to his old rival, Artem Vakhitov, training with his upcoming opponent, Ciryl Gane.
Highlighting that kickboxing and MMA are different crafts, Pereira opined that he's a much better fighter than he was when he fought Vakhitov. He said:
"Ciryl Gane's training with (Artem) Vakhitov? It doesn't make a difference. Kickboxing and MMA are different sports. And I'm not the same fighter I was when I fought Vakhitov. I've evolved a lot."
The 38-year-old continued, "Maybe he (Gane) thinks the guy can give him some useful information, but he's the one who's going to be in there with me. If Artem Vakhitov is an honest guy, the most important thing he'll say is, 'Be careful with this guy. He's tough.'"
Watch Artem Vakhitov and Alex Pereira discuss the Pereira-Gane matchup below (*comments at the 15:00-minute mark of the video):
