Alex Pereira, after a stunning 80-second knockout of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 to reclaim the light heavyweight title, is setting his sights on the heavyweight division. Rather than pursuing a bout with the winner of Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane, Pereira has expressed a strong desire for a superfight against Jon Jones. This ambitious move comes after Pereira became a two-time champion at 205 pounds, having successfully transitioned from middleweight.
Daniel Cormier Believes Jon Jones Poses a Tougher Challenge for Alex Pereira Than Tom Aspinall
Pereira`s callout of Jones has drawn accusations of “ducking” Tom Aspinall from some within the MMA community, echoing similar sentiments when Jones himself previously avoided Aspinall. However, former two-division champion Daniel Cormier refutes these claims. In a recent YouTube video, Cormier stated that Jon Jones would present a significantly more difficult stylistic matchup for “Poatan” compared to Aspinall.
“Tom Aspinall is a very difficult matchup for anyone,” Cormier acknowledged. “(But) the Jon Jones fight for Pereira, of all the other four (options), is the most difficult fight for Pereira. It speaks to the kind of man that Alex is. Alex called out the hardest fight possible,” Cormier continued. He also highlighted a modern MMA trend, exemplified by Conor McGregor, where fighters often prioritize high-profile “money fights” over championship belts, suggesting Pereira could have easily chosen Aspinall if an easier path was his goal.
Charles Oliveira Expresses Conflicted Feelings About a Potential Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones Superfight
Brazilian UFC star Charles Oliveira shared his conflicted emotions regarding a potential 2026 superfight between his countryman Pereira and Jon Jones. Speaking ahead of his own return to action at UFC Rio, Oliveira admitted to being “apprehensive” about the matchup due to his immense respect for Jones.
“Talking about Jon Jones is a bit complicated,” Oliveira said in Portuguese, noting his deep admiration for Jones throughout his career. He recalled Jones` presence during pivotal moments of his own journey, including his breakthrough and his second fight against Michael Chandler. Oliveira affirmed he would undoubtedly “sit down and cheer for Brazil, for ‘Poatan’,” but conceded he would watch with apprehension, recognizing Jones` legendary status in the sport.
