Las Vegas, NV – UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has reconsidered his previous desire to train with heavyweight champ Jon Jones ahead of Jones’ title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Pereira is preparing to defend his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313 this weekend in Las Vegas. When asked about training with Jones, Pereira expressed a change of heart.
In an interview with Bloody Elbow through a Portuguese translator, Pereira explained that he no longer sees the benefit of training with Jones due to potential future matchups between the two fighters. Although speculation has linked the two champions, Pereira believes it would not make sense to train together now and risk complicating a future fight. However, Pereira did acknowledge that training with Jones after a potential fight would be more logical.
The future of Jones remains uncertain after his dominant victory over Miocic in November. While Jones has been vocal about wanting to face Pereira in a champion vs. champion showdown, there is growing support from fans and UFC CEO Dana White for Jones to unify the title against interim champ Tom Aspinall. Pereira expressed his interest in witnessing a potential Jones vs. Aspinall bout in person.
While Pereira may not be studying the fight closely, he acknowledged the excitement surrounding a showdown between Jones and Aspinall. The prospect of seeing two top heavyweights compete is thrilling for Pereira as a fan of the sport. As the anticipation for UFC 313 builds, Pereira’s focus remains on his upcoming title defense against Ankalaev.