Alex Pereira blasts referee Herb Dean following UFC White House defeat

Alex Pereira has criticized referee Herb Dean's handling of his UFC White House interim heavyweight title loss to Ciryl Gane, arguing that illegal strikes went unaddressed during the decisive sequence.

Pereira acknowledged that Gane's opening jab hurt him in the second round, but he contends that what followed—multiple 12-to-6 elbows to the back of his head—should have been stopped. Gane ultimately finished the fight with additional strikes at 1:27 of Round 2. The Brazilian striker believes Dean should have halted the action once the illegal elbows began, noting that referees typically receive credit for erring on the side of fighter safety when illegal techniques are involved.

Pereira revealed he had flagged his concerns about Gane's striking tendencies during the pre-fight rules meeting, citing the interim champion's history of fouls including groin strikes and punches to the back of the head. "Poatan" argued that even though the initial jab was legal and impactful, the subsequent illegal elbows compounded his difficulty in recovering and likely altered the fight's outcome. He maintained that he executed his game plan effectively and doesn't regret moving up to heavyweight in pursuit of becoming the first three-division champion in UFC history.

Despite the loss, Pereira stated he has already requested an immediate rematch with Gane, though it remains unclear whether the UFC will grant it. Gane is expected to face Tom Aspinall in a title unification bout. Pereira emphasized his track record of bouncing back from adversity, vowing to return stronger and more focused.