Dustin Poirier thinks this is the perfect time for Jon Jones and Alex Pereira to clash in a heavyweight fight. Alex Pereira has been on a rampage ever since his loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287. Since then, he has defeated Jiri Prochazka to win the light heavyweight title and has looked unstoppable. Poatan came in at UFC 300 and obliterated Jamahal Hill in the first round. Turning up for his second title defense within 120 days, Pereira once again KOed Jiri Prochazka to establish his dominance.
Following his unmatchable performances, several fans and experts have asked Pereira to move to the heavyweight division. Poatan himself has also expressed his interest in becoming a three-division champion. However, in order for that to happen, the Brazilian will have to fight Jon Jones. And Dustin Poirier is all in to witness the superfight.
Dustin Poirier excited for the Jon Jones v Alex Pereira matchup
Dustin Poirier recently sat down with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour podcast. Speaking about a variety of topics, Poirier also touched upon Alex Pereita’s heavyweight prospects. Reflecting on the same, Poirier pointed out that Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira will be a blockbuster fight. With both Jones and Pereira well equipped with their knockout prowess, Poirier seemed to be in a dilemma as to who would win.
‘The Diamond’ stated that if the duo should fight, now is the time to do it. Poirier opined, “Aspinall is like, obviously legit, he’s the interim champion, he’s beat some good guys, but he doesn’t have that aura that Alex and Jones have. It’s the perfect time for it—it’s bigger, it’s a blockbuster [fight], bro. …Dude, Jon Jones versus Alex is the one.”
Well, while Poirier is certainly echoing the fans’ sentiments, there are quite a few obstacles in the match up to take place. Firstly, Jon Jones has not yet returned to action following his pectoral injury. Next up, he has already hinted at a possible retirement post his bout with Stipe Miocic. On the flip side, the UFC too, will want Alex Pereira to defend his light heavyweight title a few times more. And guess what? A fighter has already issued a warning to Alex Pereira.
Alex Pereira challenged by Magomed Ankalaev
After conquering Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, Alex Pereira might feel confident about himself. However, there’s one particular fighter who is being touted as the nemesis of Pereira. Magomed Ankalaev is a master of wrestling. Personalities like Daniel Cormier have rooted for him to put his wrestling skills to good use against Alex Pereira. DC opined that Pereira has never been tested on the ground.
But Magomed Ankalaev seems to be thinking a bit differently. In a recently made statement, Ankalaev stated that he will not use his wrestling against Pereira. Instead, Ankalaev has promised to overpower Alex Pereira’s striking game and knock him out cold. While this is certainly a huge statement to make, it will be interesting to see how things pan out in the future.
