Pereira vs Gane — Interim Heavyweight Title · UFC Freedom 250

Gane ("Gan") stings him early and may win a round, but Pereira's superior striking technique and accumulating low kicks/body shots wear Gane down until he crumbles to the cage pressure.

Track record: winner called in 2 of 4 resolved picks.

Pereira's leg kicks limit Gane's footwork and force a mistake, then Pereira counters with the left hook and finishes with ground-and-pound to become the first three-division champ.

Track record: winner called in 3 of 5 resolved picks, 1 a perfect call.

DJ leans Pereira because he's more engaged and 'not scared to fight,' and the fighter who isn't scared usually wins. The uncheckable calf kicks are Pereira's greatest weapon, though DJ flags real uncertainty over how Pereira moves at heavyweight.

• Pereira's uncheckable calf kicks are his greatest weapon
• Big unknown: how Pereira's frame moves at 265
• Gane has the better footwork, but DJ still picks Pereira

“I think the person who's not scared to fight typically wins. So for that, I'm going to go with Alex.”

Track record builds as we verify their past calls.

He calls it the trickiest fight on the card and admits Gane has the size, reach and skill to win, but says Gane has the lowest fight IQ he's seen and will sabotage himself. He expects Pereira more comfortable in the pocket and a close decision, maybe via a Gane mistake.

• Explicitly doesn't see Gane KO'd or badly outstruck — expects it close
• Picks Pereira on fight IQ, not a physical edge
• Predicts a clutch grappling moment decides it

“I'm going to go with Alex Pereira by decision.”

Track record builds as we verify their past calls.

Pereira has built a career knocking out elite technical strikers, while Gane's best striking win is Volkov and he carries no real grappling or knockout threat. Gane is smooth and hard to hit, but Pereira has the power and resume and the host trusts him to find a way.

• Low-confidence pick — unknown how Pereira looks at heavyweight
• Gane is the first opponent not smaller than Pereira
• Wants an instant DQ if Gane eye-pokes

Track record builds as we verify their past calls.

Tracy calls it genuinely close but picks Pereira: Gane lacks finishing power and plays the points game at range, while Pereira can match him there and is faster than people remember. He sees leg kicks accumulating, Gane slowing, and Pereira landing the left hook to finish.

• Gane has no real finishing threat — needs huge volume
• Pereira's leg kicks and underrated speed are the difference
• Could be a late TKO or even a decision if Gane shows up great

“I'm going to go with a third-round KO for Alex Pereira.”

* An early read — filmed ~2 weeks out (1 Jun), before fight week.

Track record builds as we verify their past calls.

Sonnen isn't convinced Gane truly wants the prize — that winning an interim belt opens a can of worms (a Pereira rematch, an Aspinall drop-back, a returning Jon Jones) he may not be invested in — and a fighter who doesn't want the prize often doesn't want the victory. He takes Pereira, expecting a long night, possibly a decision.

• Questions whether Gane really wants an interim belt
• Expects a long night — possibly a decision
• Pereira fights comfortably at the ~240 lb he always trains at

“I'm taking Alex Pereira. It's going to be a long night, possibly even a decision.”

* From the UFC on Paramount+ HQ Spotlight panel.

Track record builds as we verify their past calls.

Despite being a vocal Pereira fan, he thinks Gane is too fast, too clean and too big for Pereira to walk down and knock out at heavyweight.

Track record: winner called in 2 of 5 resolved picks.

Bisping favoured Gane on points the moment the fight was made — a Pereira win would be an upset. Gane's speed, lateral movement, angles and natural heavyweight size are a problematic stylistic matchup for a Pereira who walks straight forward, and the mass that lets Pereira hit hard also slows him down.

• Picked Gane on points the minute the fight was made
• Pereira has to cut the cage off perfectly to land — Gane isn't fazed by size or power
• Thinks the odds should be wider in Gane's favour

“The minute this fight was made, I favoured Ciryl on points. If Alex Pereira pulls it off, in my opinion, it's an upset.”

Track record builds as we verify their past calls.

Wade's flagged upset: he had Pereira the whole buildup but makes a late switch to Gane, reasoning that Gane is the better athlete and a natural heavyweight while Pereira carries unnatural ~250 lb that may sap the speed and timing his counter-punching needs. No one has ever knocked Gane out.

• Gane grinds a methodical, tactical decision over five rounds
• Pereira must land real power early to earn Gane's respect
• If Pereira can't land the big one, Gane finds a way

“Yeah, I think I'm gonna go Gane decision. I am. I think I am.”

* A late switch — he'd backed Pereira the entire buildup before flipping to Gane in this video.

Track record builds as we verify their past calls.