UFC interim heavyweight title bout marred by illegal back‑of‑head strike controversy

Ciryl Gane defeated Alex Pereira by second‑round TKO to capture the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250. Pereira claimed that several strikes landed on the back of his head and accused referee Herb Dean of overlooking the fouls. Dana White backed Pereira’s view, stating “it’s undeniable that he got hit with some strikes to the back of the head.” Fighter Alexander Volkanovski added that “there were a lot of back‑of‑head shots” and urged Dean to be more vocal. Podcast host Joe Rogan also said “a couple of those shots definitely landed illegally.” Dean defended his performance, but the controversy has sparked calls for clearer enforcement of head‑strike rules. Pereira considered an appeal but ultimately chose not to pursue it.