Alexander Volkanovski defends Alex Pereira’s harsh criticism of referee Herb Dean after UFC White House

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski says more needs to be done to prevent back-of-the-head shots after Alex Pereira’s loss.

Alex Pereira’s heavyweight debut fell short against Ciryl Gane earlier this month at UFC Freedom 250. Gane defeated Pereira by second-round TKO to win the interim heavyweight title and clinch a rematch against undisputed champ Tom Aspinall.

In the final seconds of the fight, Gane appeared to land several punches to the back of Pereira’s head during a ground exchange, leading Pereira to criticize longtime referee Herb Dean for his refusal to penalize Gane. Pereira recently hinted he’s considering retirement after the loss and the potential of suffering from arguably illegal blows in the future.

While Dean is widely praised as one of the best referees in Mixed Martial Arts, he’s had his fair share of controversial moments in recent years. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who has fought with Dean as an official for several marquee bouts, believes Pereira is justified in his scathing criticism.

Alexander Volkanovski takes Alex Pereira’s side in feud with referee Herb Dean

In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Volkanovski weighed in on Pereira’s criticism and Dean’s latest officiating controversy.

“When you go for the finish, this stuff is going to happen. I’m not saying Gane did it on purpose, but Herb, I love you, but you should have been pretty vocal,” Volkanovski said of Pereira’s criticism towards Dean.

“I don’t want to throw shade on people, but there were a lot of back-of-the-head shots. It should be a talking point – and I’m not taking away from Gane, but if Herb said ‘Watch the back of the head’, maybe he would try to get around…if it was someone I didn’t like who did that, I’d probably be a lot more clear with how I’m saying all of this. We need to have that discussion, and we’re having that discussion.

“I’m talking more than 10 shots [to the back of the head], maybe, because it was clear watching it live, very clear,” Volkanovski continued. “If Pereira’s asking for people to speak about it, here I am!”

After initially teasing an appeal, Pereira and his team have since backed down from those plans, although his UFC future remains uncertain.

Should Alex Pereira return to heavyweight after his loss at UFC Freedom 250? Let us know in the comments!