He came, he saw, he conquered: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones retains his heavyweight title with a dominant third-round knockout in the main event of UFC 309 out at Madison Square Garden last night.
The sensational performance, topped off by a spinning back kick to the body KO, was so good that it even made Dana White perform a surprise U-turn on the potential super-fight between ‘Bones’ and the light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira.
Dana White says ‘there’s no f****** way’ he’d make Pereira vs Jones after UFC 309
Prior to UFC 309, Dana White claimed that he’d be willing to entertain the thought of an Alex Pereira vs Jon Jones super-fight, only if the current heavyweight king first defeats interim champion Tom Aspinall.
However, after seeing ‘Bones’ dominate Stipe Miocic in both the striking and the wrestling department, White stated at the UFC 309 post-fight press conference that there’s “no way” that Poatan would (or should) get that fight.
“No, you know what tonight told me. That there’s no f****** way I would make the [Jon Jones] versus Alex Pereira fight… Jon’s too big, a great wrestler – did you see how he took Stipe down in that first round?
“I like Alex Pereira, I like him personally, but it just doesn’t make sense to make that fight. If they want it bad enough and they’re both like f****** hounding me or something, then maybe I would do it.”
White claimed that between Alex Pereira’s insane title run at light heavyweight, as well as the fact that the Brazilian is already up there at 37 years of age, there’s just no point in him moving up to heavyweight at this stage in his career.
“It’s just Alex Pereira is killing it [at 205lbs], look at his age and what he’s doing right now, what’s the reason to go up [in weight] and fight a guy who is so much bigger than you and such a good wrestler.
“Money? Well, that’s definitely a reason but just so we’re clear, I don’t want to make any of that kind of money… I want Pereira to stay where he is and do what he does, run the street.”
Jon Jones says he could retire if he doesn’t get an Alex Pereira contract next
Whilst Dana White was adamant that he’d much rather move on from the idea of such a super-fight, Jon Jones himself would state just a few minutes later that it’s Poatan or bust.
“I’m not really worried about the Tom fight, but I am really worried about the Pereira fight – that’s what I want to do… That’s what I want to do and if the UFC wants to have me back, then I think that’s the fight that they’ll make.
“I have been really clear about my intentions, that’s what I want, and I mean, I just feel like anybody would understand that at this point… I’ll retire the heavyweight belt if I have to, give the guy [Aspinall] what he wants.”
Given both his outstanding legacy in the sport and the leverage he likely holds over the promotion, Jones believes that he’s well within his right to ask for Pereira over Aspinall.
“I just feel like I’m at a place now where I want to take what I find to be super-fights… I don’t want to fight dangerous up-and-comers anymore, I want to fight dangerous and established champions.”
Tom Aspinall claimed the interim title one year ago and defended the belt against Curtis Blaydes earlier in 2024.