Chael Sonnen counters theory of Alex Pereira possibly being slower at heavyweight against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250

Alex Pereira is on the cusp of etching his name in the history books -- as he attempts to become the first fighter ever to win UFC gold in three separate weight classes.

The Brazilian kickboxing veteran and MMA megastar is set to move up from the UFC light heavyweight division and make his divisional debut at heavyweight. 

"Poatan" previously held championships in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions in both Glory Kickboxing and the UFC MMA organization. 

Currently, he's booked to fight ex-interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026. 

Alex Pereira recently revealed his weight goals for UFC Freedom 250

Speaking to the New York Post Sports a few weeks ago, Alex Pereira asserted that he's following the requisite protocol to ensure that he isn't too heavy come June 14. 

Pereira highlighted that he weighs 113 kg (approximately 250 pounds) and aims to weigh around 110 kg (242 pounds) for the fight. Around the 1:25-minute mark of the video, the 38-year-old said, "I want to be at about 110 kilograms." 

The Pereira-Gane winner would be expected to face reigning UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who's still recovering from eye-poke-induced eye injuries that he suffered in his title defense against Gane last October. The Aspinall-Gane matchup ended in an NC (No Contest), and Aspinall retained his title against "Bon Gamin." 

Well, former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger, MMA fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen, has now chimed in on Pereira's heavyweight move and upcoming clash against Gane. 

 

Chael Sonnen discusses speculation about Alex Pereira possibly being slower against Ciryl Gane

One of the biggest points of discussion about the Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane showdown is whether Pereira would be able to adjust well to what is a new weight class for him.

Taking to his official YouTube channel, retired MMA star Chael Sonnen has alluded to UFC commentator Joe Rogan's recent remarks that Pereira could be slower at heavyweight. 

Sonnen notably suggested that Pereira, who's a towering figure at 6'4", has long boasted a walkaround weight that's well into the heavyweight range, i.e., well above the light heavyweight limit of 205 pounds. He implied that Pereira is basically a heavyweight who simply cut significant amounts of weight to compete at middleweight and light heavyweight. 

Additionally, Sonnen indicated that Pereira's estimated weight on fight night during his light heavyweight stint was probably around 225-227 pounds. He believes that although Pereira's fight night weight would likely be in the 240s in his heavyweight debut, Ciryl Gane would still be the heavier fighter. 

Sonnen stated, "I don't buy into the idea that Pereira is going to be slow. Of course, he's going to be slower. But if we're just talking about, if we're just saying he's gotta be slower because of his size, then you gotta remember Ciryl is still the bigger guy." 

"The American Gangster" explained that Pereira would be slower than his usual self, but could still be faster than Gane. He continued, "So if you're assigning speed with size, I mean, if I just can't get you off that ride -- okay, great. Ciryl's bigger. So it doesn't really matter if Pereira's fast. He's just gotta be faster than Ciryl." 

 

Watch Chael Sonnen discuss the concerns surrounding Alex Pereira's weight below (*comments at the 4:15-minute mark of the video):