Alex Pereira believes ‘nobody loses’ if Jon Jones agrees to fight. UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira believes a potential fight with Jon Jones would be one of the biggest and most meaningful matchups in UFC history. According to Pereira, if Jones agrees to fight him, “nobody loses” no matter the result.
Pereira is coming off an impressive first-round knockout win over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, where he reclaimed the light heavyweight title. Now, the Brazilian champion is open to either defending his belt or moving up to the heavyweight division for a super-fight against Jones.
Jones has stated he intends to fight at next June’s UFC White House event despite announcing a retirement earlier this year, and has previously mentioned wanting to face Pereira. Pereira is optimistic. “I’ve always talked about this fight, about moving up to heavyweight, but then I said to myself, ‘Man, stay in your weight class,’” Pereira told Connect Cast (Portuguese translation via Home of Fight). “I wanted to stay in my weight class, I cared about my health, etc. But I’m 38 now, and at the same time, I’m thinking about my career. I think that’s the fight which needs to happen. Even Jon Jones was talking about this fight. That’s what he said in his interview the other day, right?”
Many fans on social media have praised Pereira’s courage, saying a matchup between the two champions would be a dream come true. Jones has not yet responded publicly to Pereira’s challenge, but the former heavyweight champion has previously said he’s open to “big fights that make sense.” Fans have long dreamed of seeing Jones test his legendary grappling against Pereira’s elite striking..
If Alex Pereira becomes the first fighter to truly defeat Jon Jones who has never been beaten in 30 professional fights except for one disqualification and a no-contest, it would secure his place among the greatest fighters of all time. Still, Pereira believes that the fight would be so highly respected by fans that even if he or Jones were to lose, their reputations and legacies would remain untouchable. “I think the same way he does,” Pereira said. “We’re both big names. No matter what happens, nobody loses in this fight.”
