Alex Pereira is open to difficult himself at heavyweight within the UFC, however provided that he’s competing for undisputed gold.
“Poatan” knocked out Jiri Prochazka to efficiently defend his gentle heavyweight title at UFC 303 in June. Afterward, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall talked about his identify as a possible challenger sooner or later, however Pereira isn’t considering competing for something lower than the official title.
“It doesn’t curiosity me to combat [Aspinall] for the time being,” Pereira mentioned on his Youtube channel. “To be trustworthy, heavyweight isn’t my aim, it isn’t my fundamental focus. Tom Aspinall, not speaking him as a fighter, I’m speaking positions. I feel I’m in one other place now. It doesn’t make sense for me to combat for the interim belt, actually.”
Aspinall is scheduled to defend his interim heavyweight belt at UFC 304 in opposition to Curtis Blaydes, whereas Jones recovers from shoulder damage and awaits a date to face former champion Stipe Miocic.
“I’m not taking something away from [Aspinall], I respect him so much,” Pereira mentioned. “I feel he’s an unimaginable athlete, a man that may be very harmful technically. I’m simply speaking about preventing for an interim belt. There’s no level for me. So I rule that out, there is no such thing as a risk to combat him now. If he was champion and he mentioned that, in fact we’d be selling that combat. I might drive it extra, however there is no such thing as a level to combat for the interim belt proper now.”
Would Pereira react the identical method if he noticed Jon Jones problem him, although?
The previous UFC middleweight champion and present gentle heavyweight king mentioned he would have an interest, though it’s not his fundamental precedence for the time being.
“Like I mentioned, my focus is on my class,” Pereira mentioned. “I’m evolving so much, doing superb. That’s my focus, I’m doing numerous good issues on this division. I’m very pleased with this. I’m not going to drive something. I feel after I go to heavyweight, I’ve the burden and identify at this time to combat again at middleweight — which I gained’t be doing, however If I did return to middleweight — I’d combat the belt. If I’m going to heavyweight, I might combat the belt. Like I mentioned, I’m 37, so I’ve to go straight to the highest, straight to the belt. If it’s Jon Jones, if it’s Aspinall, whoever, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m simply eyeing the belt.”
As for his subsequent bout, if it’s at gentle heavyweight, Pereira doesn’t need to compete earlier than December.
“[Light heavyweight] is the place I need to keep,” Pereira mentioned. “My focus is to defend my belt. Doesn’t matter who. Lots of people say [Magomed] Ankalaev, that’s who they’re speaking about now. Persons are centered on him, however I’m coaching properly, not only for him, however for anybody. It’s combat for me to combat. I wouldn’t say to check myself, however to combat. I’ll be properly ready for him or anybody.”
