Alex Pereira Calls Out Du Plessis at Middleweight
Alex Pereira’s September 2024 challenge to middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis did not become a UFC fight. Pereira remained at light heavyweight after the callout, defending his belt against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, and later moved up to heavyweight for a bid at a third divisional title. In June 2026, Ciryl Gane stopped him in round two at UFC Freedom 250. Pereira’s UFC record and the UFC’s Freedom 250 report document that path.
The proposed middleweight superfight
After Du Plessis submitted Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August 2024, Pereira publicly said he was willing to return to 185 pounds to challenge the new champion. Du Plessis said Pereira could make the move if he chose, while expressing reservations about the weight cut and suggesting a bout at light heavyweight instead. The callout generated discussion, but the UFC did not book the matchup.
Pereira had already been champion at both middleweight and light heavyweight. His last middleweight appearance was his April 2023 title rematch with Adesanya, which he lost by second-round knockout. The 2024 callout raised the possibility of a return to the division, but his next fights remained at 205 pounds before his 2026 move to heavyweight.
The heavyweight attempt
At UFC Freedom 250, Pereira challenged Gane for the interim heavyweight title. Gane stopped him with strikes at 1:27 of round two, ending Pereira’s bid to become the UFC’s first three-division champion. As of October 2026, Pereira is still pursuing a heavyweight opportunity, with a bout against Sergei Pavlovich announced for UFC 335 in December. The UFC’s Gane profile records the result; the reported December booking reflects his current direction.
Sources
Tags: MMA
