February 28, 2025 9: 20 pm ET
Alex Pereira won’t train with Jon Jones anytime soon – just in case.
UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) previously expressed interest in sharing the mats with heavyweight champ Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC), but has now changed his tune.
That’s because after Jones finished Stipe Miocic to retain his title at UFC 309 this past November, he said he’d rather face Pereira next over interim champ Tom Aspinall. While the wheels are currently in motion for Jones to face Aspinall next, Pereira won’t take his chances in case the pair do end up crossing paths.
“To be honest, I don’t think that makes as much sense any more,” Pereira told Bloody Elbow through an interpreter. “Back when I said that I would like to fight at heavyweight, people already put the dots together and basically mentioned Jon Jones. That’s something that is speculated, even if it’s just by the fans.
“So I wouldn’t want to go and train with him now, and then if we end up fighting, people will start s