Mike Winkeljohn, the coach who helped shape Jon Jones into a champion, is picking Alex Pereira to defeat Ciryl Gane when the two meet for the interim UFC heavyweight title at the White House on June 14, and he has a specific reason for his prediction.
Speaking to Submission Radio, Winkeljohn acknowledged the technical quality Gane brings to the matchup before explaining where he sees the fight being decided.
It’s a tough one. Alex has the power. He has some scary power,” Winkeljohn said. “That is one big man. I think Ciryl has a lot of finesse type of things that are out there. I’m leaning towards Alex in this one a little bit, I really am. It’s kind of a tossup, there’s no doubt about it. I think at the end of the day, there’s something about the left hook that Alex has that might catch Ciryl.
Winkeljohn’s belief comes as Gane has been taking specific preparation steps for Pereira’s striking, including sparring with the last man to defeat Pereira in kickboxing. Despite the strategic approach Gane’s camp has taken, Winkeljohn does not believe it will be enough to neutralize Pereira’s power advantage.
The fight was set after negotiations for a Jon Jones vs. Pereira superfight collapsed. Jones confirmed he had been offered $15 million to face Pereira but the UFC declined to increase the figure, leading the promotion to book Pereira against Gane for the interim belt instead.
Winkeljohn parted ways with Jones in 2021 after telling the former champion he was not permitted to train at Jackson Wink MMA until he addressed his drinking. Jones had already vacated the light heavyweight title in 2020 and returned to the Octagon in 2023 without his longtime coaching staff.
UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House in Washington D.C.
