Alex Pereira has called upon the UFC to "do the right thing" and grant him an immediate rematch against Ciryl Gane.
After claiming world titles in two different weight classes since arriving in the UFC, Pereira looked to create history when he faced the Frenchman for the interim heavyweight title at the landmark White House event on Sunday night.
A third belt would prove to be a step too far however, with Gane taking control in the second round and scoring a knockdown with a well-placed right hand as Pereira stepped into range.
From there he immediately went all-out in trying to finish the fight, landing a series of strikes as Pereira attempted to secure a takedown - including several that appeared to illegally land on the back of the head.
The unified rules of MMA prohibit strikes of any kind to the back of the head, defined as the "area starting at the crown of the head and running directly down the centerline of the head with a one inch variance to each side".
Referee Herb Dean watched the finishing sequence closely but opted not to intervene, before ultimately stopping the fight seconds later when Gane landed a barrage of punches against the cage.
Speaking following the fight Pereira insisted that he will pursue all available options to appeal the decision, and noted that he had specifically addressed Gane's tendency to commit fouls to Dean prior to the fight.
Appearing on the Ariel Helwani Show, he revealed that he has already spoken to the UFC regarding his next steps and added that he is targeting a rematch with Gane in the near future.
"All that I want is a rematch," Pereira said via a translator. "To be able to fight fair, to fight clean.
"To go over there and show what people want to see. People don't want to see cheating.
He continued: "The UFC are going to get back to us. We understand that the UFC had to go all over to make this event and it took a lot from them.
"I said the right thing is an immediate rematch. I spoke to the organisation and they asked for some time to get an answer because so much was happening."
"So they're going to get back to us, we're going to sit down and talk and then we're going to see what's next."
While Pereira has a case to be granted an immediate rematch, it appears the UFC will instead look for Gane to face reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall once he is ready to return to competition.
The pair faced off for the undisputed title in the main event of UFC 321 in October, but an inadvertent eye poke from Gane in the opening round saw the fight ruled a no contest.
Aspinall was forced to undergo multiple surgeries in the aftermath of the foul but it appears that the Briton will be available to return to the Octagon before the end of 2026.
