Alex Pereira is officially closing the door on the influencer boxing circuit amid the ongoing contractual standoff between UFC management and external promoters. In an exclusive May 30 interview, the former two-division champion addressed his current standing in the mixed martial arts GOAT debate and confirmed he is the Standard Edition cover athlete for the upcoming video game release. The media tour arrives as anticipation builds ahead of his interim heavyweight championship clash against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250, which is scheduled to occur on June 14 at the White House. If Pereira wins next month, he will become the first fighter in the history of the promotion to secure titles in three different weight classes.
Speaking to journalist Brian Mazique, according to a detailed report by Forbes released on Saturday, Pereira formally ended months of speculation regarding a potential crossover match. The Brazilian striker stated the bout is completely “off the table” due to current circumstances. Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions team spent the last several months publicly courting Pereira, repeatedly citing UFC CEO Dana White’s strict refusal to allow contracted fighters to compete externally as the primary roadblock. Pereira’s public confirmation permanently ends the heavily debated negotiations and refocuses attention on his heavyweight transition.
Beyond the octagon, Pereira is heavily promoting his digital likeness as the face of the newest mixed martial arts simulator. Electronic Arts officially positioned him alongside Ultimate Edition cover star Max Holloway, according to an official press release from EA Sports detailing the June 19 launch. The new title features an overhauled Frostbite physics engine and updated markerless capture technology designed to replicate Pereira’s striking mechanics. Early access is scheduled to begin on June 12 for players who pre-order the game, placing the digital release squarely within the promotional window of his real-world championship attempt in Washington.
As the conversation shifted toward the Greatest of All Time debate, Pereira acknowledged the unprecedented speed of his championship run. The former kickboxing world champion claimed the middleweight and light heavyweight belts in record time before moving up to challenge Gane. The interim heavyweight title fight is set to headline the White House event in two weeks.