Alex Pereira wasn’t happy with a fight prediction from a fellow Brazilian fighter, and he has now turned it into a personal callout.  The situation started when rising featherweight Melquizael Costa weighed in on a potential clash between Pereira and Jon Jones. On paper, it’s a fascinating matchup, striker versus grappler, and Costa framed it that way in a comment on Instagram.

“Never ask me a question thinking I will stay on top of the wall,” Costa wrote. “If this fight happens it will be two Goats fighting, the best striker vs the best grappling. And yeah I think JJ would win.”

That alone wouldn’t normally cause friction. Fighters pick sides all the time. But ‘Poatan’s response made it clear this wasn’t just about a prediction.

“Bro you root for whoever you want and it’s all right!” Pereira replied, before shifting tone. “F— up is saying something you don’t even know, and as if I did something to you.”

From there, it became personal. Pereira brought up past interactions that clearly stuck with him. He recalled a moment from LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance) where Costa filmed him without asking, saying the featherweight “turned your phone on my face… you didn’t even ask.” It wasn’t just about the act, but the lack of respect he felt in that moment. Then he went further, pointing to a different memory, one where the dynamic was completely opposite.

“But I thought you weren’t mad because we were having dinner together in Mexico,” the former light heavyweight champion added. “And I was giving you strength because you were crying because you lost the fight, and now when you win two fights you’re the almighty. Bro i can lose 8 matches in a row!”

Pereira is currently preparing to move up to heavyweight, with a fight against Ciryl Gane lined up for the interim title at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. That alone is a massive step. At the same time, his name continues to get linked with Jon Jones, even though negotiations for that fight didn’t materialize.

So when Costa sided with Jones, it wasn’t just a neutral opinion in Pereira’s eyes. It came from someone he felt he had helped before. From a numbers standpoint, Costa is still building his resume at 25-7, riding a wave of momentum as he’s now on a 6-fight win streak inside the Octagon.

Alex Pereira, on the other hand, is already a two-division UFC champion, preparing for another title opportunity. That gap in experience and achievement likely adds to how Pereira viewed the comment and felt disrespected. But according to Francis Ngannou, Ciryl Gane might turn out to be a far more complicated test than people expect.

Francis Ngannou believes “stiff” Alex Pereira might have a hard time with Ciryl Gane

Former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, has already been in there with Gane and edged him out to defend his crown at UFC 270 back in 2022. That’s why he knows exactly what makes the French heavyweight difficult. So when he looks at Pereira making the jump to heavyweight, he isn’t questioning the power or size, but how their styles collide inside the Octagon.

“Alex Pereira is tough, he’s big enough, he’s a heavyweight,” Ngannou said in an interview with TMZ Sports. “But in this scenario, the position shifted a little bit because Ciryl Gane comes more with a strategy of a lighter person because he moves a lot, he’s fast, and I think Alex Pereira will be more stiff, stable, and strong, solid. Ciryl will be more fast, moving around.”

‘The Predator’ believes Ciryl Gane’s movement and distance control will make it “very difficult” for Alex Pereira to get close enough to execute his game plan, with the Frenchman likely to manage range, pick his shots, and frustrate him.

He also pointed out that while Pereira’s grappling is often questioned, Gane has been quietly improving in that area. Ngannou noted that Gane has been “very serious on his ground game,” showing evolution since their fight, and even training in Dagestan to sharpen his wrestling after his loss to Jon Jones at UFC 285. In his view, Gane is now a more complete fighter than people give him credit for, not just a striker.

To tie it all together, this isn’t just about a comment section disagreement; it’s about where Alex Pereira currently stands and how he expects to be viewed. So while the Jon Jones conversation will always linger in the background, the immediate focus is clear. ‘Poatan’ has a new division to prove himself in, and a stylistically tricky opponent waiting.