We can add former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier to the list of those who disagree with Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic being the next title fight at heavyweight.
Not many topics have been debated in 2024 quite like the championship conversation in the UFC’s heavyweight division, which currently boasts two champions, only one of which is keen on fighting the other.
After an injury forced Jones out of his planned defense against Miocic at Madison Square Garden last November, Tom Aspinall stepped up on short notice to capture the interim gold at the expense of Sergei Pavlovich.
While that would usually lead to a unification showdown, Jones has remained firm on Miocic being his next fight despite pushback from Aspinall, as well as many fighters, fans, and pundits.
In the meantime, Aspinall will put his belt on the line in a rematch against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in Manchester this month. The build-up to that July 27 bout will no doubt feature Jones’ name heavily and talk of Aspinall making one last bid to jump ahead of Miocic.
According to one UFC star, however, a third option should be the leading candidate upon Jones’ comeback form injury…
Poirier: It’s The ‘Perfect Time’ For Jones vs. Pereira
During a recent in-studio appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Poirier gave his take on the current state of the heavyweight division and the ongoing debate surrounding who should be Jones’ next challenger.
While most of the opposition to Miocic receiving a shot over three years on from his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou has placed Aspinall in the position instead, “The Diamond” wants to see Alex Pereira shoot for two-division glory.
“Stipe’s been out a good bit. Stipe could come back and be a completely different person,” Poirier said. “Aspinall’s obviously legit; he’s the interim world champion, he’s beat some good guys. But he doesn’t have the aura that Alex and Jones have. … (Pereira’s) starting to get that aura, like a Fedor (Emelianenko) had or an Anderson (Silva) had.
“It’s the perfect time for it. I would (do it now). Yeah, (bypass the Miocic fight),” Poirier continued. “It’s bigger! It’s a blockbuster, bro. … And in the light heavyweight division, who’s he gonna fight? Ankalaev? Nothing against Ankalaev, but I’m not excited (by that). At the point he’s at in his career, he’s a superstar. I want to see him vs. Jones at heavyweight.”
Jones himself has noted Pereira as a future option and suggested it sits above interim champ Aspinall in terms of intrigue.
But just like his division’s other titleholder, “Bones” has refused to budge from Miocic in order to accommodate a super fight with Pereira toward the end of 2024.
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