Fri Nov 15 07:20:00 IST 2024: ## UFC President Dana White Rules Out Alex Pereira Fight for Jon Jones, Aspinall is the Only Option
**New York, NY** – UFC President Dana White has definitively ruled out a potential superfight between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Alex Pereira, stating that if Jones defeats Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 and decides against retirement, the only fight that makes sense is against Tom Aspinall.
White, speaking on “The Jim Rome Show,” cited Aspinall’s recent success, including winning interim gold and defending it once, as the primary reason. While Jones has expressed interest in fighting Pereira, a former middleweight champion who moved up to light heavyweight, White believes Pereira’s wrestling skills are not at the same level as Jones, and that size disparity would make the fight unbalanced.
“Jon will do what he does on Saturday,” White said. “If he wins, he’ll disappear for a while and the competitive spirit will start bubbling up again, and then money will talk. If he doesn’t decide to retire, he absolutely, positively fights Aspinall. He’s not fighting Pereira.”
Jones has hinted at retirement following his fight against Miocic at Madison Square Garden, but has also entertained questions about his future in the sport. Despite Jones’ preference for a Pereira fight, White has consistently maintained that Jones will return to the octagon.
This news comes as a blow to fans who have been anticipating a potential Jones vs. Pereira matchup, which many saw as a high-stakes, legacy-defining fight. However, White’s insistence on Aspinall as the only viable option suggests the UFC has a different direction in mind for the future of the light heavyweight division.
First Piper 