TLDR
- Jon Jones posted a wordless video wearing a goat necklace after Alex Pereira lost to Ciryl Gane at UFC White House
- Pereira said he was surprised by the video because he never spoke badly about Jones and always respected him
- The Brazilian fighter questioned why Jones posted the video when he was going through a difficult moment after his loss
- Pereira pointed out that he supported Jones during tough times but said ‘not everyone is the same’
- Despite the incident, Pereira said he remains a fan of Jones and will continue speaking well of him
Sources: yardbarker.com | mmafighting.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Alex Pereira said he was confused by Jon Jones’ reaction video after his knockout loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC White House on June 14. Jones posted a wordless video of himself wearing a goat necklace shortly after Gane stopped Pereira in the second round.
Many fans interpreted the video as a shot at the Brazilian fighter who was trying to become the first three-division champion in UFC history. Jones later posted a message congratulating Gane directly on the win.
Pereira Says He Always Respected Jones
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pereira addressed the video and his relationship with Jones. “I saw the video and, honestly, I was surprised,” he said in Portuguese.
“If it were someone who had been provoking him and then lost, and he said something afterward, okay, that would make sense,” Pereira explained. “But I’ve never spoken badly about Jon Jones. I’ve always respected him.”
Alex Pereira believes Ciryl Gane was on the verge of gassing out if the fight kept going:
"People say that I got tired. No, I did not.
If I had the chance to survive without the illegal strikes, I feel that Ciryl would not have survived in the fight because he doesn't have… pic.twitter.com/bieBATQ9kQ
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 17, 2026
Pereira said he never claimed to be the greatest of all time and left that debate to others. He challenged people to find any interview where he made such a claim.
“A lot of people asked me, ‘Alex, do you consider yourself the greatest?’ Tell him to post any interview where I said that if I win, I’d be the greatest,” Pereira said. “If people consider me the greatest, okay. If they don’t, that’s okay too.”
The light heavyweight champion moved up to heavyweight after knocking out Magomed Ankalaev in 2025. He had been pushing for a fight with Jones before the UFC chose a different direction.
Jones and Pereira have been publicly cordial in the past. Jones even thanked Pereira for calling him out at the White House before Jones retired without facing interim champion Tom Aspinall last year.
Questions About Timing
Pereira questioned why Jones chose to post the video right after his loss. “Honestly, I just don’t understand why he did that when an athlete is going through a tough moment,” he said.
“Nobody wants to lose,” Pereira continued. “For someone to take a shot at a guy who has never taken a shot at him during a difficult moment like that, you know?”
Pereira pointed to his own support of Jones during difficult times. “When he was going through a tough time, what did I do? I supported him,” he said. “But not everyone is the same. Everyone thinks differently.”
Despite feeling confused by the video, Pereira said he remains a fan of Jones. “I’ve always spoken highly of him,” Pereira said.
“I never said he was the greatest, but I’ve said he’s one of the greatest and that he can be considered the greatest,” he explained. “I’m not going to get into debates about who’s the greatest.”
Pereira said his opinion of Jones won’t change. “Even with all of this, I’m not going to stop being a fan of his,” he said. “I’ve always spoken well of him. I’m a fan. I just don’t understand why he did that.”
In the same YouTube video, Pereira also criticized referee Herb Dean for what he claimed were illegal strikes to the back of his head during the fight. He posted images showing lumps on the back of his head and said he plans to appeal the loss.
Veteran referee John McCarthy defended Dean’s handling of the situation, explaining that Pereira’s movement made it difficult for Gane to control where his strikes landed. Pereira is expected to address his heavyweight plans and potential rematch talk in the coming weeks.
