Alex Pereira aims for November UFC return at Madison Square Garden

Alex Pereira has yet to book his next UFC bout after coming up short in his attempt to win the interim heavyweight championship in June and he’s eyeing a spot on the yet-to-be-announced November show at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“I think November. November is a good time [to come back and fight] in New York,” Pereira told Ag. Fight. “It’s been a while since I fought there. I don’t really remember the dates, it’s hard. My debut was there, but I’ve fought there a few more times since then. … It’s close to my house, about an hour and a half drive. So there’s no [travel] fatigue or jet lag.”

“Poatan” lost by knockout to Ciryl Gane in the co-main event of UFC White House on June 14, a result he has contested publicly due to illegal strikes landed by the Frenchman and allowed by referee Herb Dean. He has then decided not to officially appeal the result with the athletic commission. Pereira has ruled out a return to 205 pounds, and will instead fight at heavyweight going forward.

The Brazilian star fought three times at MSG and came out victorious on all occasions. Pereira stopped Andreas Michailidis with a flying knee in his UFC debut in the arena in 2021 and returned to the same venue a year later to finish Israel Adesanya to capture the middleweight belt. “Poatan” claimed the light heavyweight title in November 2023 with a knockout over Jiri Prochazka in November 2024.