The Man Who Beat Pereira Is Now Training Gane
Artem Vakhitov has joined Ciryl Gane's training camp ahead of UFC 313 on June 14 in Washington. The Russian kickboxer is one of the few fighters in the world who can say he has beaten Alex Pereira — and now he's helping Gane figure out how to do it again. This is not a random hire. It is a deliberate move that tells you everything about how seriously Gane is approaching this fight.
The Man With the Blueprint
There are not many fighters on the planet who have shared the ring with Alex Pereira and come out on top. Artem Vakhitov is one of them. At GLORY 78 in Rotterdam, the Russian light heavyweight stopped Pereira to claim the world title — a victory that came after a previous defeat, making it a full rivalry with a definitive ending.
That history is now sitting in Ciryl Gane's corner. Vakhitov joined the camp ahead of the June 14 bout in Washington, and his presence signals that Gane is not leaving anything to chance. You do not call in someone like Vakhitov for his motivational speeches. You call him in because he has felt what Pereira throws, absorbed it, studied it and found a way through.
Why This Move Makes Sense
Top fighters do this. They bring in specialists — not generalists — who carry specific knowledge about a specific opponent. Gane has always been the technical, cerebral fighter in whatever division he competes in. Adding Vakhitov to his preparation fits that profile perfectly.
Pereira is a different kind of problem than most UFC light heavyweights. His striking is not just powerful — it carries the timing and angles developed over years of elite kickboxing competition. Understanding that timing from the outside is one thing. Having someone in the gym who lived it, who absorbed it, who beat it, is something else entirely.
Vakhitov knows where the danger lives. He knows which combinations Pereira favors, how he sets them up, and where the openings appear. That kind of detail cannot be found on fight film alone.
Vakhitov's Own Story Has Weight
It is worth noting that Vakhitov himself never made it to the UFC, despite the talent and résumé that would have justified a run. Contract complications kept him in kickboxing, where he remains a respected name and a potential contender for future GLORY titles.
His willingness to step into a camp like this, working directly against the man he once defeated, shows a certain seriousness about the craft. For Vakhitov, this is not a background role — it is a statement about where his knowledge sits in the sport's ecosystem.
What Gane Actually Needs
Gane has been knocked out by Pereira before. He knows what that feels like. Coming into a rematch, the psychological edge matters as much as the tactical one, and having someone nearby who beat Pereira — who stood in front of that pressure and handled it — carries real weight in the training room.
Whether it translates when the cage door closes on June 14 is a different question. Camp advantages do not always survive contact. But Gane has clearly done his homework. This is preparation built around one man's weaknesses, and Vakhitov is the most qualified person alive to help identify them.
The bell will answer the rest.
