Dana White responds to Alex Pereira complaining about Herb Dean and illegal shots in his loss to Ciryl Gane

Alex Pereira has been vocal about perceived fouls in his second-round loss to Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship at UFC Vegas 119, claiming multiple illegal strikes to the back of the head went uncalled by referee Herb Dean. The frantic sequence occurred after Gane clipped Pereira on the feet, triggering a scramble in which Gane unloaded a barrage of punches and elbows. Pereira contended that many landed to the back of his head—an illegal target—before Gane finished him with additional strikes on the feet seconds later.

Pereira, who was attempting to become the first three-division champion in UFC history, has called for Dean to retire and has considered appealing the result, though he acknowledged such reversals are nearly impossible. UFC CEO Dana White addressed the controversy at a post-event press conference, acknowledging that no refereeing is perfect but defending Dean while lending credibility to Pereira's concerns. "Alex Pereira is not a whiner," White said. "Alex Pereira doesn't complain about things or make excuses after fights. I have to believe that he believed that."

White noted that while some illegal blows may have landed amid the chaos of rolling action, Dean perhaps should have issued a verbal warning to Gane about targeting the back of the head. However, White stopped short of criticizing Dean's overall performance. Herb Dean subsequently released a video explaining his decisions during the fight. The athletic commission holds final authority over such matters, White reiterated, though he sympathized with Pereira's frustration over the outcome.