UFC fighter Jon Jones is considering his next opponent, with options including heavyweight Stipe Miocic, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who is aiming to become the UFC’s first three-division titleholder.
Jon Jones is sizing up the heavyweight scene. In March 2023, “Bones” bagged another belt, swiftly defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. Since then, he’s been eyeing a bout with Stipe Miocic, the heavyweight legend. But, the division’s been buzzing with other tempting prospects.
Interim heavyweight champ, Tom Aspinall, has been vocal about a unification match. Alex Pereira, the light heavyweight champion, has hinted at moving up to become UFC’s first three-division titleholder. Interesting, huh?
Jones took to social media, asking fans who they’d prefer he fight – Alex or Tom? Aspinall claimed his share of the heavyweight title with a knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in under 70 seconds last November. The Brit has been keen on facing Jones, but he’s also open to defending his interim belt against another contender. Jones, however, seems to favor Miocic.
Pereira, a former kickboxing star, hasn’t fought at heavyweight yet. But he’s already made waves in his MMA career, defeating Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title and later moving up to light heavyweight to win a vacant championship with a knockout of Jiri Prochazka. He’s recently shown interest in a third championship, which has Jones mulling over the options.
Jones tweeted, “If Alex P became champion of the heavyweight division, would you guys consider him the GOAT?” He added, “Being back in the gym has got me thinking differently. That fight after Stipe may be the next biggest move I could possibly make.”
Jones, widely considered one of the best fighters ever, has a legendary record at 205 pounds. He won 26 of his first 28 pro fights, with only a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill and a no-contest in a rematch against Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 marring his record. Jones originally knocked Cormier out with a head kick, but the result was overturned when Jones tested positive for banned substances.
Jones, now 36, has had his share of controversy outside the ring. He was involved in a 2015 hit-and-run that led to him being stripped of a belt and a positive drug test in 2016 that forced him to give up an interim title. His third reign as light heavyweight champion ended when he voluntarily vacated his title amid a contract dispute with the UFC and his plans to move to heavyweight.
Currently, Jones seems to favor a future bout with Pereira over Aspinall, who he doesn’t believe is a big draw outside the U.K. He tweeted, “You actually think me fighting Tom would be more massive than Alex and I colliding? Tom only matters in the U.K., newsflash. Pereira is one of the most polarizing figures this sport has seen.”