Alex Pereira admits he’s gained ‘a bit of a belly’ ahead of UFC heavyweight debut

Alex Pereira is headed up to the UFC heavyweight division, but he is not going to transform into a rippling specimen like Francis Ngannou or Alistair Overeem overnight.

Brazil’s Pereira, the former UFC light heavyweight and middleweight champion, will make his debut in the promotion’s heavyweight division at UFC Freedom 250, set for June 14 on the White House lawn. His opponent will be France’s Ciryl Gane. The interim heavyweight belt will be on the line, as undisputed champ Tom Aspinall recovers from injuries he sustained in his recent fight with Gane.

Ahead of the fight, Pereira has been working on packing on some muscle to compete more effectively with his significantly larger opponent. While he is definitely getting bigger, he admits it will take some time to reach his final heavyweight form.

For now, he has “a bit of a belly,” but with a few more weeks of training, he expects to be “a machine.”

UFC star Alex Pereira talks transition to heavyweight

Alex Pereira says he’s gonna look “like a machine” for his UFC heavyweight debut 👀

“I’m heavy and have a bit of a belly right now, but soon you’ll see the transformation… I’m gonna look like a machine.

Now my body is getting stronger. We still have another 6 or 7 weeks, we’re… pic.twitter.com/eIPu7qXFN5

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 17, 2026

“I’m heavy and have a bit of a belly right now, but soon you’ll see the transformation,” Pereira wrote on social media. “I’m gonna look like a machine.

“Now my body is getting stronger. We still have another 6 or 7 weeks, we’re already starting like this.”

Alex Pereira last fought late last year when he knocked out Magomed Ankalaev to reclaim the light heavyweight belt. He had previously lost the title to Ankalaev via decision. Prior to losing the belt to the Russian, he defended it three times in his first reign, against Jiri Prochazka, Jamahal Hill, and Khalil Rountree Jr.

His fight with Gane will co-headline the UFC White House card, under an Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje lightweight championship main event.