Overview
- Ciryl Gane defeated Alex Pereira by second‑round TKO to win the interim heavyweight title on June 14, and several finishing strikes appeared to land on the back of Pereira’s head.
- Pereira immediately complained about the blows and criticized referee Herb Dean, briefly signaled an appeal, and then stepped back from formal appeal plans.
- Alexander Volkanovski publicly sided with Pereira and said the referee should have warned Gane to stop hitting the back of the head because the strikes may have hindered Pereira’s recovery.
- Joe Rogan noted that a few strikes clearly landed illegally but argued much of the contact could be unintentional due to movement, and Andre Fili later raised a similar complaint about Dean’s in‑fight intervention at another event.
- The official result remains intact, but the UFC and state commissions face growing pressure to explain officiating standards, clarify when referees must verbally warn or stop action, and consider whether procedural changes or accountability are needed.