Alex Pereira’s feud with Herb Dean became one of the biggest talking points after UFC Freedom 250. The Brazilian was chasing history in the June 14 co-main event, hoping to become the first fighter in UFC history to win titles across three weight classes. However, those dreams came crashing down when Ciryl Gane stopped him in the second round.
The finish quickly became a source of debate, with fans questioning whether Gane’s 11-strike sequence, including six blows to the back of Pereira’s head, played a role in the stoppage. Pereira was particularly unhappy with Dean’s handling of the exchange and publicly called out the veteran referee for failing to step in.
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‘Poatan’ even urged the UFC to make sure Dean would no longer officiate his fights. The referee faced further scrutiny for his controversial handling of the Shara Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira fight at UFC Baku.
Dana White also acknowledged that Dean had endured a difficult year following the controversial first-round stoppage in the King Green vs. Esteban Ribovics fight at UFC 332. While Pereira’s criticism made it seem like the feud was far from over, the Brazilian has now taken a surprisingly different stance and shown some sympathy for the veteran official.
Alex Pereira Feels Bad for Herb Dean but Still Doesn’t Want Him Refereeing His Fights
Since the White House event, Dean has faced plenty of backlash from fans, even getting booed at events. The criticism has continued since June 2026, and it seems Pereira is starting to feel a little sympathy for the veteran referee.
In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, the Brazilian opened up about the situation and explained why he initially called Dean out. Speaking in Portuguese, Pereira said, “I see everything that’s going on, and sometimes I do feel bad because I know it’s his job, but when I spoke, I was just advocating because he’s the guy to be there who’s supposed to be protecting the fighters and avoid that something worse could happen to a fighter.”
He also admitted that while he stands by what he said, seeing the backlash against Dean hasn’t been easy. Pereira added, “I had to speak my mind. But yeah, I do feel bad for him sometimes, some certain ways.”
Alex Pereira admits he feels bad seeing Herb Dean get booed by fans after speaking out:
“Sometimes I do feel bad cause I know it’s his job… But I think when I spoke, was just me advocating because he’s the guys to be there supposed to be protecting the fighters and just to avoid something worse to happen to any fighter.”
Via: @arielhelwani
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 21, 2026
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However, feeling sympathy for Dean hasn’t changed Pereira’s stance on having him officiate his fights. The former two-division champion still wants to keep the referee away from his future bouts. He said, “I don’t know how things role in the fight night, but if I can have a choice, I definitely don’t want him refereeing my fights no more.”
Pereira is now preparing for a five-round co-main event against Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 on December 12. The matchup could have major implications for the heavyweight title picture, making the officiating an interesting subplot to watch. It remains to be seen whether Dean will be assigned to Pereira’s fight or whether the Brazilian will have to deal with another referee.