The UFC has finalized its December 12 pay-per-view card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Alex Pereira will face Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event, while Charles Oliveira headlines with a BMF title defense against Diego Lopes.
The announcement came a day after UFC 332, where Natalia Silva won the vacant flyweight title against Wang Cong in Salt Lake City. Dana White revealed the heavyweight matchup at the event’s post-fight press conference.
Pereira returns to heavyweight after the Gane loss
Alex Pereira, 39, will make his second heavyweight appearance since being stopped by Ciryl Gane in June at UFC Freedom 250, in a fight for the interim heavyweight title. The loss cost him a shot at becoming the first three-division champion in UFC history, after previous reigns at light heavyweight and middleweight. He carries a 13-4 professional record. Pereira disputed the result, saying strikes landed to the back of his head, and pushed for an immediate rematch. The UFC instead booked Gane to defend his heavyweight title against unbeaten American Josh Hokit on November 14 at UFC 334, held at Madison Square Garden in New York. That card also features a women’s bantamweight title fight, with champion Kayla Harrison defending against Amanda Nunes.
Pavlovich enters as the number two heavyweight contender
Sergei Pavlovich is ranked number two at heavyweight and riding a three-fight winning streak, most recently finishing Tallison Teixeira in 39 seconds in May. He carries a 21-3 professional record, going 9-3 inside the UFC, with his three losses coming against Alistair Overeem, Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkov, three of the division’s top-ranked names. The bout with Pereira is booked for five rounds despite its co-main billing, a format usually reserved for title fights, reflecting how much weight the promotion is putting behind the matchup.
Oliveira defends the BMF title against a rising Lopes
In the main event, Charles Oliveira, 36, makes the first defense of the BMF title he won at UFC 326 with a unanimous decision over Max Holloway. The Brazilian, on a two-fight winning streak, holds UFC records for most wins by submission, with 17, most finishes, with 21, and most post-fight bonuses, with 14. The BMF belt recognizes the promotion’s most exciting fighter regardless of weight class. Diego Lopes, 31, moves up to make his lightweight debut after a TKO win over Steve Garcia in June. At featherweight, his only losses came in two title fights against Alexander Volkanovski, a record that made him one of the division’s toughest outs before his move up. Both Oliveira and Lopes are Brazilian, extending the country’s long presence at the top of the UFC lightweight and featherweight rankings.
Pyfer and Nickal round out a loaded card
A middleweight clash between Joe Pyfer and Bo Nickal fills out the UFC 335 main card. Pyfer is on a four-fight winning streak that includes a win over Israel Adesanya in March, while Nickal is coming off a finish of Kyle Daukaus. Both are considered rising contenders in a division still sorting out its order behind the champion, and a win at UFC 335 would push either man into the title conversation. The pairing adds a fourth notable name to a card already built around two title fights.
What it means for Ciryl Gane’s title reign
The outcome matters directly for heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane, who defends his belt against Josh Hokit on November 14 at UFC 334, a month before UFC 335’s December card in Las Vegas. Whoever wins between Pereira and Pavlovich becomes the leading contender for Gane’s title. A Pereira win would also revive the rematch he has been requesting since June, while a Pavlovich win would set up his first UFC title opportunity after three straight finishes.
Three events will now follow in succession through the end of the year: UFC 333 on October 24 in Abu Dhabi, UFC 334 on November 14 with Gane’s title defense, and UFC 335 on December 12 in Las Vegas. Fans can track the full lineup on the 2026 UFC schedule, and follow the heavyweight picture on the UFC rankings page as it updates through the fall.
The card streams on Paramount+ in the United States, the UFC’s broadcast partner for all of its 2026 pay-per-view events.
