Robert Whittaker breaks down Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane title fight at UFC Freedom 250
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has given his prediction for the interim UFC heavyweight championship clash between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane.
Alex Pereira is all set to make his long-awaited heavyweight divisional debut. "Poatan" is a former Glory Kickboxing middleweight and light heavyweight champion. He's also an ex-UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champ.
The 38-year-old is up against the 36-year-old Ciryl Gane, who's a divisional staple in the 265-pound weight class and an ex-interim UFC heavyweight titlist. France's Gane also boasts experience in kickboxing and Muay Thai.
Presently, Pereira is scheduled to take on Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight championship. Their highly anticipated fight's victor is expected to clash against reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who's yet to recover from the eye injuries he sustained in an NC (No Contest) against Gane last October.
The Pereira-Gane matchup is scheduled to co-headline UFC Freedom 250 at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 14. Well, former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has now weighed in with his assessment of the much-discussed interim title clash.
Robert Whittaker's prediction for Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane showdown at UFC Freedom 250
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, New Zealand-born Australian MMA star Robert Whittaker gave his views on Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane.
Whittaker notably alluded to Gane getting stunned in striking exchanges with Tai Tuivasa, aka "Bam Bam," in their back-and-forth fight in 2022 in which the French fighter ultimately defeated Tuivasa via knockout.
"The Reaper" emphasized that Pereira vs. Gane is a very close matchup that could go either way. Additionally, he suggested that if Tuivasa could catch the elusive Gane on the feet, an experienced striker like Pereira could also do the same. Whittaker stated:
"Yeah. I think the fight's 50-50. I think Ciryl's, obviously, very comfortable moving around at that heavier weight. And he's got very good kickboxing. But 'Bam Bam' (Tai Tuivasa) got hands on him (Gane). You know? And if 'Bam Bam' can do it, I'm sure Pereira can as well."
Alluding to the Brazilian kickboxing legend's stellar striking background, Whittaker said, "Pereira is very comfortable fighting kickboxers. He's been doing it since he was a kid. So, yeah, it's anybody's guess. I think it's 50-50."
Watch Robert Whittaker discuss Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane below (*comments at the 3:34-minute mark of the video):
Robert Whittaker and Alex Pereira previously competed in the same division
Robert Whittaker is all set to make his light heavyweight divisional debut. He'll face Nikita Krylov at UFC 329 on July 11. Moreover, as noted, Alex Pereira is set for his heavyweight divisional debut, as he takes on Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.
Speaking of Whittaker and Pereira, they previously competed in the same weight class, i.e., middleweight. During a UFC media scrum back in 2022, Whittaker appeared to jestingly question how the "giant" Brazilian fighter was let into the middleweight division.
Nevertheless, Whittaker implied that he viewed Pereira as a good stylistic matchup for himself, indicating that he could beat the towering striker if they clashed inside the octagon.
Watch Robert Whittaker's remarks regarding Alex Pereira being gigantic for middleweight in the video below:
