Alex Pereira believes Ciryl Gane knocked him out with multiple illegal shots to the back of the head during their June 14 bout for the interim heavyweight gold at the White House.
“Poatan” lost in Round 2 by TKO, and now he is not only looking for a rematch but is also going to appeal the result.
The former two-division champion has already criticized veteran referee Herb Dean, and now he wants to ensure the American loses his job. During an interview with MMA Junkie, Pereira said:
“Herb [Dean] has a record of making mistakes like that… As he is getting old and as he is getting a little more comfortable, he’s just getting a little more aggravated. Maybe his time is up… Everybody has had enough of Herb Dean.”
“Poatan,” opined referees like Dean, need to learn a lesson, as even after he retires, other fighters could still become victims of Dean’s poor officiating.
Next up, during the same sitdown, the Brazilian added that he plans to pursue the matter [Gane’s illegal blows and Dean not objecting/stopping the bout] legally.
“We’re gonna pursue this legally, we’re gonna talk to our lawyers. The bill is gonna come for some people.”
Check out the full interview and Alex Pereira’s comments below:
How has Herb Dean reacted to Alex Pereira’s comments?
Ref. Herb Dean had defended his officiating after Alex Pereira called him out, criticized him, and asked Dana White to fire him. The 55-year-old, in a video, explained what “back of the head” means in MMA and which shots are legal and which are not.
“The rule we’re talking about is the back of the head, and that’s confusing because it’s different than boxing. And the way we enforce this rule is we focus on the nape of the neck, and that’s really what the rule should be called. The nape of the neck or occipital junction also covers the spine, and it covers a line right here with one inch variance to either side. This is what we’d go over in a rules meeting. I will let them know that this area is a foul, off-limits, that this area [sides of the back of the head] is a fair blow.”
Check out Herb Dean’s comments below:
Meanwhile, here is a video for readers to decide if Ciryl Gane fought a fair fight and Herb Dean did his job, or if whatever Alex Pereira is saying is 100% right.
