Alex Pereira’s subsequent battle is all lined up, and no, it’s not in opposition to Jon Jones.
Poatan’ efficiently defended his gentle heavyweight title thrice in 2024, scoring a trio of highlight-reel knockouts in opposition to Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree. Latest rumors urged that the UFC was courting Pereira to avoid wasting one other occasion after its welterweight headliner at UFC 310 on December 7 fell by.
Sadly, it sounds just like the ‘Brazilian Boogeyman’ received’t be closing out the promotion’s pay-per-view scheduled subsequent month, however we do know who he’ll face when 2025 rolls round.
In line with top-ranked contender Magomedov Ankalaev, UFC CEO Dana White has confirmed that he will likely be subsequent in line for a shot at Pereira’s 205-pound title.
“@danawhite instructed my staff I’m subsequent for Alex,” Ankalaev wrote on X. “Thanks for clearing this as we speak.”
Dana White shoots down jon jones’ calls for for a battle with Alex pereira
Pereira vs. Ankalaev has been rumored for a while and, by all accounts, is the battle to make on the high of the sunshine heavyweight division. Particularly after Ankalaev’s eleventh straight win in opposition to Aleksandar Rakić in Abu Dhabi. Nevertheless, there was some doubt about their pairing, significantly after undisputed heavyweight king Jon ‘Bones’ Jones started lobbying laborious for a BMF bout with Pereira.
“Alex Pereira is the one battle, proper now, that is sensible to my legacy,” Jones stated throughout Wednesday’s UFC 309 media day. “On the finish of the day, Pereira is value risking it for me. He [Aspinall] simply doesn’t have the titles. He can have the excessive ending charge, however he doesn’t have titles. It solely is sensible to battle somebody in your degree.”
Sadly for Jones, Dana White isn’t involved in making that battle occur. Throughout an look on The Jim Rome Present, the UFC CEO shot down any chance of a bout between ‘Bones’ and Pereira, including that if Jones desires to battle past Saturday’s card in NYC, there’s just one open street to take.
“Jon will do what he does on Saturday,” White stated. “If he wins, he’ll disappear for some time and the aggressive spirit will begin effervescent up once more, after which cash will speak. If he doesn’t determine to retire, he completely, positively fights Aspinall. He’s not combating Pereira.
“[Pereira] was a middleweight who moved as much as gentle heavyweight. He’s additionally a kickboxer who has executed very, very effectively in MMA. His wrestling isn’t even close to the extent of Jon Jones, and Jon Jones is approach larger than him. If Jon Jones desires to battle once more after Saturday evening, he’ll battle Tom Aspinall.”
