Yesterday, at the White House South Lawn, Alex Pereira’s attempt at becoming a three-division champion faltered. Fighting on the co-main event of the historic UFC Freedom 250 card, the Brazilian failed to answer the questions his opponent, Ciryl Gane, raised.

While the experiment may have put Pereira’s career at crossroads, where he needs to take a hard look and decide on his next move, it has also earned him praise for the courage he showed facing a proven heavyweight like Gane. One of the more poignant reflections on Alex Pereira’s setback came from his long-time rival Israel Adesanya, who followed the bout closely with his friends during a live watchalong on his YouTube channel.

“The stripes aren’t helping. The stripes are showing the curvature as well,” commenting on Pereira’s physique, Adesanya initially teased. “His (Gane) movement has kept Alex from throwing as freely as he wanted to. You can see he’s getting close to the black line. He pushes him back with that strike. Now he takes the center. Cyril is very aware of where he is. You look as he gets close to the black line; you see what he does. So now he gets close to the black line. He’s going to do something to make him go backwards.”

Adesanya clearly appeared impressed by Gane’s lateral movement and positioning. Rather than getting trapped against the fence, Gane repeatedly reset his position and reclaimed the center of the cage, disrupting Alex Pereira‘s striking rhythm.

“Ooh. Oh, good return. Oh. Oh, counter. F**k I got chills on my feet,” he added as Pereira countered with a head kick, and Gane replied with a body kick as the first round ended.

But soon his expression changed after Gane seized control of the fight with a short jab that sent Pereira down to the canvas. The Brazilian’s brief bounce back raised Adesanya’s confidence However, it fell short after Gane lunged at him with jab-right cross combinations that left Pereira visibly confused. Like many diehard fans, Adesanya prayed that Pereira would recover in time to respond. But that never happened as the fight ended with referee Herb Dean finally waiving it off.

One of the most measured takes, which showed how Israel Adesanya would not accept any narrative that Pereira simply underperformed, came when he pointed out, saying, “Ciryl’s no slouch.” Pereira was facing a formidable opponent in the Frenchman, who was not only skilled but also came prepared.

At the same time, the fight also highlighted Pereira’s willingness to chase another championship and take on difficult challenges. Paying a fitting tribute to his long-time rival, with whom he fought four times, Adesanya acknowledged Pereira’s accomplishments and willingness to take risks are rare.

“I’m not sad,” Adesanya concluded. “But I’m like, they can’t have two championship upsets in the game.”

He did not sound devastated by Pereira’s defeat, but he wasn’t indifferent either. Their rivalry has evolved into a form of mutual respect over the years. On a practical note, pointing to the next bout, the headliner where Ilia Topuria’s lightweight championship was at stake, Adesanya felt it would have been a nightmare for the organizers to see two title upsets in a row. One where Alex Pereira captured the interim heavyweight championship and another where Justin Gaethje dethroned Topuria. As it turned out, only one of those upsets materialized.

Where does Alex Pereira go from here?

Adesanya’s reaction wasn’t celebratory or critical. It was the reaction of a fellow elite striker watching another elite striker attempt something ambitious. Pereira’s failed bid also served as a reminder of how rare pursuits of a championship in a third weight class are in UFC history.

There’s only one instance where a fighter openly dreamed of winning a championship in a third weight class. That was Henry Cejudo, who, after the title wins at flyweight and bantamweight, expressed interest in scaling up to featherweight to face Alexander Volkanovski. But the dream matchup never really took off.

While Pereira’s attempt has already earned its place in conversations about UFC history, attention will now shift to what comes next for the Brazilian.

Pundits believe Pereira should now stick to heavyweight instead of moving back to light heavyweight, where he has held the title two times, since there are more interesting opportunities for the Brazilian in heavyweight. Despite his disappointing loss to Ciryl Gane, Pereira can still win fights at the weight class and work his way back into contention.

In that context, a matchup with rising star Josh Hokit, who knocked out Derrick Lewis on the White House event’s main card, is seen as the ideal next step. The matchup is made even more compelling by the simmering rivalry that saw Hokit fire heated words at Pereira in the lead up to the event. So it would likely draw significant attention.

Beyond the immediate matchmaking discussion, Pereira’s age has also become part of the conversation surrounding his future.

With Pereira turning 39 soon and likely having few fights left in his career, some believe it’s time he focused on the biggest and the most meaningful matchups available instead of chasing random bouts.

As a former middleweight champion and light heavyweight champion in the UFC who came off a sterling career as a kickboxer, Pereira has built a resume that cements his legacy as an all-time great. That explains why even his former rivals like Israel Adesanya respect him. So at this stage, even if he decides to step away from the octagon, that’s a decision that will not be viewed negatively by many.