Tread carefully, “Poatan.”
For months now, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has made it clear that he wants to fight former two-division champ Jon Jones. The Brazilian superstar officially called out “Bones” after knocking out Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 (watch highlights), specifically floating the idea of a showdown on this year’s historic UFC White House super card.
Then, just days before Christmas, Pereira confused fans by posting on social media that his dream fight with Jones at the White House was a “no-go,” offering little explanation and seemingly cooling the hype overnight.
That pause may have been nothing more than misdirection.
Yesterday, Pereira posted a video returning to his old tire shop job, and in the clip, a tire could be seen with the words “Next Jones” written across it — an unmistakable tease that his next target remains the UFC legend.
Jones saw the video — and responded with a warning.
“I beat a lot of legends from your country, my friend,” Jones said in a video posted to his Instagram story. “I know you’d love to avenge the boys, but boy, would you be a good one to add to my list. Be careful what you wish for. Chama.”
While UFC CEO Dana White has been lukewarm at best about booking a Pereira vs. Jones super fight, he hasn’t completely shut the door. For the most part, White has batted down the idea, citing concerns over logistics and trust. However, in a recent interview with Complex, White admitted he would be open to the matchup — if Jones were willing to return to 205 pounds. Even then, White acknowledged he still has major trust issues with Jones, and not without reason.
Ultimately, the fight comes down to timing — and whether White is willing to give in to Jones’ desire to compete on the UFC White House card.
As always, time will tell. But if this dream matchup does materialize for “Poatan”, the 38-year-old may soon discover that calling out the G.O.A.T. comes with serious consequences.
