"If it's Jon Jones, if it's Aspinall, it doesn't matter" - "Heavyweight or not" Alex Pereira is ready to fight for the title
Coming off his second knockout win over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303, Alex Pereira has never had more options in his career. Though he has previously stated that he does not want to fight until the end of 2024, Pereira stated that he could potentially pursue the heavyweight title and attempt to become the first fighter to win a UFC championship in three separate divisions, as many fans insist.
'Poatan' explained his thoughts on his career in a 19-minute YouTube video, which he condensed into a few seconds on Instagram. The light heavyweight champion said he does not care if it is Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall and just wants to prove that he is continuously "evolving."
In Portuguese, Pereira said:
"If it's Jon Jones, if it's Tom Aspinall, it doesn't matter... Many people try to promote themselves, saying they're going to knock me out or submit me. The difference [between] these people [and myself] is that I am evolving so each fight becomes harder for them. Whoever it is, it doesn't matter to me."
The 37-year-old further explained his desires in the caption of his post, writing:
"HEAVYWEIGHT or NOT — I will fight for the title"
However, with his recent update, Pereira noted that he is not too interested in moving up to heavyweight at the moment.
Watch the full video from Alex Poatan Pereira on YouTube below:
Alex Pereira shrugs off potential heavyweight fights
Despite the rare opportunity presented to him to set another UFC record, Alex Pereira is not as interested in a potential move to heavyweight as some of his fans are.
In his YouTube video, Pereira touched on the callout he has received from Tom Aspinall, saying it "doesn't really interest" him at the moment because the 31-year-old is not the undisputed champion. Poatan noted that heavyweight is not his current "objective" and that he is only interested in fighting for championships.
With his previous sentiment, Pereira seems more intent on continuing to prove more fighters wrong, primarily those in the light heavyweight division.
Triple champion status is likely the end goal for the Brazilian before he officially retires, but for now, expect to see more of Pereira defending the 205-pound belt.