One reigning UFC titleholder thinks the promotion made a mistake by passing up on a blockbuster fight for Jon Jones, and it’s not against Tom Aspinall.
Before Dana White announced Jones’ controversial retirement, discourse surrounding the GOAT contender’s potential return had solely focused on a heavyweight title unification fight against Aspinall.
‘Bones’ had been frequently criticized for avoiding a clash with his interim counterpart, as the Englishman was left stranded for over a year before being elevated to undisputed status.
But although most shared the same sentiment, insisting that had to be the fight if Jones competed again, current flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja thought differently…
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Alexandre Pantoja doesn’t know why the UFC didn’t do Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira
Before all attention was placed on the Aspinall fight, even leading to a viral petition calling for UFC to strip Jones, Alex Pereira briefly entered the equation.
Pereira called for a heavyweight battle against Jones while he sat on the 205-pound throne, and Pantoja is confused as to why White and the UFC did not capitalize on that by booking the champ vs champ fight.
“When UFC had the opportunity to make ‘Poatan’ vs Jon Jones, why you don’t do that? Make the big fight,” Pantoja said during an appearance on the Overdogs Podcast.
“Everybody wants to see that fight. Make this happen, you know? Please!
“Why you don’t make this happen? When ‘Poatan’ had the belt and Jon Jones had the belt, make it happen,” Pantoja added.
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Chael Sonnen said Alex Pereira might have a chance against Jon Jones
Before Magomed Ankalaev beat Pereira at UFC 313, ex-fighter Chael Sonnen was among those who did not see the Brazilian being competitive in a potential clash with Jones.
But despite the Brazilian losing this past March, ‘The Bad Guy’ saw enough in regard to grappling defense to believe Pereira would have a chance against Jones.
“You don’t get very far when you start talking about Alex Pereira vs Jon Jones. You just don’t get there, because we know that Jon can throw him down and beat him up,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.
“Like, that’s something Jon does really well. He can throw people down and then beat them up. Well, you watch this fight (at UFC 313), and you go, ‘Hey, it turns out that old Alex Pereira isn’t so easy to take down.’
“Alex Pereira really showed some stuff,” Sonnen continued. “That entire narrative that he can’t wrestle and he can’t defend is now gone.”