Alex Pereira details fight talks with Jon Jones, comments on Tom Aspinall matchup

A heavyweight title bid could still be in Pereira's future.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira wants to pursue the biggest fights possible, especially if it’s a matchup with another UFC titleholder.

"Let's Make The Fight With Jon Jones"

A former middleweight champion, “Poatan” is undefeated since moving up to light heavyweight in 2023 and successfully defended his 205 lbs. strap with three-straight finishes last year to earn “Figher of the Year” honors from a number of combat sports outlets.

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Pereira is now scheduled to meet #1 contender Magomed Anakalev in a long-awaited matchup that will headline UFC 313 on March 8, and ahead of that meeting Ariel Helwani asked “Poatan” if he still has aspirations of moving up to the heavyweight division.

Oct 5, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Khalil Rountree Jr. (blue gloves) in a light heavyweight title bout during UFC 307 at Delta Center. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

“I’m the champ, I want to fight the champ," Pereira said on The Ariel Helwani Show. "So, let’s make the fight with Jon Jones. That’s the fight that I want for heavyweight.”

Pereira Reveals Phone Conversations With Jones

Helwani was quick to follow up and ask Pereira if there were any conversations regarding a fight with Jon Jones after his title defense against Stipe Miocic, and the 36-year-old surprisingly revealed that he and “Bones” had talked on the phone about a potential matchup even before UFC 309.

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) reacts after defeating Stipe Miocic (not pictured) in the heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“Before [the Miocic fight], they actually talked about possibly fighting, some things like that. But they didn’t talk no more," Pereira's coach and translator Plinio Cruz explained. "Not a friend, not somebody that I talk with on the regular, but somebody that I respect. And I know that he respects me, there’s mutual respect.”

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Already established as arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history following his incredible light heavyweight run, Jones moved up to heavyweight in 2023 and claimed the division’s vacant belt before he finished two-time titleholder Miocic in a rescheduled matchup at UFC 309 in November.

Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) fights Stipe Miocic (blue gloves) in the heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The current expectation is that Jones’ next outing will be a title unification bout against Tom Aspinall, who won the interim heavyweight belt by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 and defended it with another first-round finish in his rematch with Curtis Blaydes in July.

"Poatan" vs. Aspinall

Asked about a potential fight with Aspinall, Pereira only seemed open to the idea if the 31-year-old is able to unify the heavyweight belts against Jones and become the division’s undisputed champion.

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

“I’ll fight anybody at heavyweight. But I’m the champion, and Jon Jones is the champion. If Aspinall was the champion, I’d want to fight him.”

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It’s still unclear when and if a matchup between Jones and Aspinall will be booked, but if Pereira is able to defend his light heavyweight belt for a fourth time at UFC 313 then it will be interesting to see if that encourages the promotion to set up a massive superfight between “Bones” and “Poatan”.

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