Alex Pereira responds to Jon Jones after social media pitches for a champion vs. champion UFC clash

UFC light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira has responded to Jon Jones’ viral tweets about a potential champion vs. champion showdown.

Pereira is fresh off of his first-round knockout of Jamahal Hill in the UFC 300 main event just weeks ago. He successfully defended the light heavyweight belt after defeating Jiří Procházka for the then-vacant title at UFC 295 in November.

Pereira is planning on a rematch with Procházka for this summer, instead of facing the surging contender Magomed Ankalaev. Procházka got back in the win column at UFC 300 with a come-from-behind victory against Aleksandar Rakić.

Jones, who is expected to face Stipe Miocic for his heavyweight return, made headlines on Friday when he pitched a potential super fight against Pereira. He asked his following to pick between Pereira and Tom Aspinall for his next title defense should he defeat Miocic.

If Alex P became champion of the heavyweight division, would you guys consider him the GOAT? Being back in the gym has got me thinking differently. That fight after stipe maybe the next biggest move I could possibly make. This killer has already defeated so many champions, and…

— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 3, 2024

“If Alex P became champion of the heavyweight division, would you guys consider him the GOAT?” Jones asked. “Being back in the gym has got me thinking differently. That fight after stipe maybe the next biggest move I could possibly make. This killer has already defeated so many champions, and is already considered a legend to millions around the world. The most massive fight the UFC could make. Give Alex a chance to avenge all those great Brazilian champions I’ve defeated.”

Alex Pereira answers Jon Jones’s calls for future UFC heavyweight clash

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie‘s Nolan King, Pereira addressed Jones’s callout.

“Yeah, it caught me by surprise, especially after I saw the first message. I didn’t really expect to see that this morning,” Pereira said of Jones’s tweets. “I spoke about going up to heavyweight to fight on this card. I knew it’d catch some eyes eventually. I didn’t expect it to be so fast.

“He is on the sidelines for a while and he wants to do another fight before that…I just want to fight. To be thinking about things and not have them come to fruition would be just draining for me and for the fans. That’s definitely a fight I would love to do. For me to move up to heavyweight, I need some time – but not that much time because I’m already a big guy.”

Pereira was briefly linked to a possible fight with Aspinall for the interim title. But, the UFC seems to be heading in other directions for both fighters, and Aspinall is still slated to return at UFC 304.

Pereira became the fastest to become a two-division UFC champion after a quick rise in MMA. The former Glory Kickboxing titleholder is 3-0 since making the full-time move to light heavyweight.

First thing’s first for Jones, who is still recovering from an injury he suffered ahead of UFC 295. If he gets past Miocic, a fight with Pereira could be on the table.