Dana White: Pereira Would Surpass Jones as GOAT With Interim Heavyweight Title Win Over Gane

UFC president Dana White stated that Alex Pereira would surpass Jon Jones as the greatest MMA fighter of all time if he defeats Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship. Pereira, who holds a professional MMA record of 13-3, will face Gane, who holds a record of 13-2, on June 14 at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.

A former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Pereira is attempting to become the first three-weight champion in UFC history.

"If he wins the third world title that night, he jumps over Jon Jones and becomes the greatest of all time," White told Forbes. Pereira, from Brazil, was a two-weight champion in GLORY Kickboxing before transitioning to MMA in 2021.

He signed with the UFC in his fifth professional appearance and won the middleweight championship by defeating Israel Adesanya in 2022. Pereira vacated his light heavyweight championship earlier in 2026 to move to heavyweight. Jones announced his retirement in 2025 but immediately reversed the decision to pursue a matchup against Pereira.

Jones holds a professional MMA record of 28-1 and the UFC record for most wins in title fights with 16. The winner of the Pereira-Gane fight would face undisputed heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Aspinall is recovering from multiple eye injuries suffered in his last fight.

His manager, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, stated he wants to renegotiate Aspinall's contract with the UFC.