Alex Pereira weighs in at 251 pounds ahead of UFC heavyweight debut. Alex Pereira will make his heavyweight debut at UFC Freedom 250 near the White House. He weighed in at 251 pounds. Up for grabs is a chance to make history as the first three-division UFC champion.
An official weigh-in ceremony took place in Washington ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 tournament, which is being held for the first time on the grounds of the White House. The main intrigue of the evening was the debut of former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in the heavyweight division. The Brazilian weighed in at 251 pounds, marking a significant jump compared to his previous outings in lighter divisions.
Pereira, with a record of 13-3, will face Frenchman Ciryl Gane (13-2), who weighs 248 pounds. At stake is the interim heavyweight championship belt. The winner of this fight will earn the right to challenge Tom Aspinall for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title.
Previously, Pereira won titles at middleweight (185 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds), both times by stoppage. In November 2022, he defeated Israel Adesanya at UFC 281, and a year later won the light heavyweight belt by knocking out Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303. Now the Brazilian could become the first fighter in UFC history to win championship belts in three different weight divisions.
All 14 participants in the tournament successfully made weight. Organizers note that UFC Freedom 250 is taking place outdoors, and the exact timing of the fights may change due to weather conditions. According to UFC president Dana White, the idea to hold the tournament on the South Lawn of the White House came from President Donald Trump. Record bonuses are in place for participants: $400,000 for Fight of the Night and two individual bonuses of $425,000 each for outstanding performances. The previous bonus record was set at UFC 300 in April 2024, amounting to $300,000.
The tournament has sparked mixed reactions: a group of activists tried to have it canceled in court, citing the illegality of holding a sporting event on the grounds of the White House. However, a federal judge dismissed the claim, and UFC Freedom 250 will proceed in full. All seven fights of the evening will be broadcast on the Paramount+ platform.
UFC is the largest global mixed martial arts organization, regularly holding tournaments in the US and abroad. UFC events traditionally attract multimillion audiences and draw attention not only from sports fans but also from the general public. Hosting a tournament on the White House grounds has become an unprecedented event for American sports and politics.
