Alex Pereira‘s Pursuit of โคJonโ Jones Draws ‘Duck’ Accusations, โspotlightโ Turns to Tom Aspinall
Heavyweight contender Alex Pereira’s stated desire to โฃchallenge former champion Jon โJones has ignited controversy, with some observers accusing him of avoiding a fightโ with risingโ star Tom Aspinall. โคTeh accusationsโ surfacedโฃ following Pereira’sโข public callout of Jones, prompting a wave of socialโ media commentary alleging a deliberate strategy to bypass โคa more dangerous matchup.
Thisโ situation echoes familiar territory โขwithin the UFC,where fighters are often scrutinized for their choice of opponents. โคA โPereira-Jones โขbout would represent a significantโข possibility for โขboth fighters โ- Jones’โ return to the Octagon after a lengthy absenceโ and pereira’s attempt to claim another title inโ a second weight class. However, many โฃbelieve Aspinall presents a moreโข immediate and problematic challenge for Pereira, perhaps explaining the focus on jones.
Social media erupted with criticism, with oneโฃ user on Xโข (formerly Twitter) stating, “He knows Tom beats him,” โand another labeling itโข a “Clear duck.” Another post asserted, “He knows Aspinall is too โbig and would absolutely dog-walk him. Going for the old retired vet, smart move.”
The dynamic highlights โฃthe complex calculations fightersโค make when navigating the competitive โฃlandscape of the โUFC.โ Aspinall, โคcurrently ranked among the top heavyweights, has consistently demonstrated his power and skill, โฃestablishing himself as a legitimate threat to the division’s elite. While Pereira is a formidableโ striker โฃwith aโ history of knockout โฃvictories, a clash with Aspinallโ would test โฃhis โgrappling and overall MMA game against a well-rounded opponent.โฃ
As of October 5, 2025, the UFC has not officially announced pereira’s โขnext โขopponent. โคThe โขorganization will likely weigh the โpotentialโค for both matchups – Pereira vs. Jones and Pereira vs. Aspinall – considering fan interest, fighter rankings, โขandโข theโฃ overall trajectory of the heavyweight division. The โฃoutcome will undoubtedly shape the future โคtitle contention picture.
