Alex Pereira is open to difficult himself at heavyweight within the UFC, however provided that he’s competing for undisputed gold.
“Poatan” knocked out Jiri Prochazka to efficiently defend his mild heavyweight title at UFC 303 in June. Afterward, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall talked about his identify as a possible challenger sooner or later, however Pereira isn’t concerned with competing for something lower than the official title.
“It doesn’t curiosity me to battle [Aspinall] in the meanwhile,” Pereira mentioned on his Youtube channel. “To be sincere, heavyweight isn’t my aim, it isn’t my important focus. Tom Aspinall, not speaking him as a fighter, I’m speaking positions. I believe I’m in one other place now. It doesn’t make sense for me to battle for the interim belt, actually.”
Aspinall is scheduled to defend his interim heavyweight belt at UFC 304 in opposition to Curtis Blaydes, whereas Jones recovers from shoulder harm and awaits a date to face former champion Stipe Miocic.
“I’m not taking something away from [Aspinall], I respect him loads,” Pereira mentioned. “I believe he’s an unbelievable athlete, a man that may be very harmful technically. I’m simply speaking about combating for an interim belt. There’s no level for me. So I rule that out, there isn’t a chance to battle him now. If he was champion and he mentioned that, after all we might be selling that battle. I’d power it extra, however there isn’t a level to battle for the interim belt proper now.”
Would Pereira react the identical means if he noticed Jon Jones problem him, although?
The previous UFC middleweight champion and present mild heavyweight king mentioned he would have an interest, though it’s not his important precedence in the meanwhile.
“Like I mentioned, my focus is on my class,” Pereira mentioned. “I’m evolving loads, doing excellent. That’s my focus, I’m doing loads of good issues on this division. I’m very pleased with this. I’m not going to power something. I believe once I go to heavyweight, I’ve the load and identify as we speak to battle again at middleweight — which I received’t be doing, however If I did return to middleweight — I’d battle the belt. If I am going to heavyweight, I’d battle the belt. Like I mentioned, I’m 37, so I’ve to go straight to the highest, straight to the belt. If it’s Jon Jones, if it’s Aspinall, whoever, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m simply eyeing the belt.”
As for his subsequent bout, if it’s at mild heavyweight, Pereira doesn’t need to compete earlier than December.
“[Light heavyweight] is the place I need to keep,” Pereira mentioned. “My focus is to defend my belt. Doesn’t matter who. Lots of people say [Magomed] Ankalaev, that’s who they’re speaking about now. Persons are centered on him, however I’m coaching nicely, not only for him, however for anybody. It’s battle for me to battle. I wouldn’t say to check myself, however to battle. I’ll be nicely ready for him or anybody.”
