Alex Pereira blasted Ciryl Gane after their UFC Freedom 250 bout, claiming Gane delivered illegal blows to the back of his head. The Brazilian, who was chasing a historic third‑division title, suffered a second‑round TKO when Gane’s jab dropped him and a flurry of elbows and punches followed. Pereira posted a video questioning why referee Herb Dean did not intervene.

Earlier in the night, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall noted the strikes appeared illegal, echoing Pereira’s frustration. Gane’s record includes a controversial elbow finish over Junior Dos Santos in 2020 and an accidental eye‑poke that forced a no‑contest against Aspinall in October. Fans and analysts alike demanded an official review of the stoppage. Those incidents have kept the Frenchman under scrutiny for rule compliance.

Pereira’s protest raises questions about his future weight class; he has yet to decide whether to remain at heavyweight or return to light heavyweight, where he captured titles in 2023 and 2025. A loss stalls his bid to become the first three‑division champion and fuels debate over officiating standards. The controversy now sits alongside ongoing calls for clearer enforcement.