
Tom Aspinall has shared his thoughts on rumours linking Alex Pereira with a potential fight against Jon Jones at the White House card.
Speculation about the matchup has grown recently, as Pereira’s move to the UFC heavyweight division has been confirmed.
The situation comes during an uncertain period for the weight class, as Aspinall remains the reigning champion but is currently sidelined following the eye injury sustained during his no contest bout with Ciryl Gane.
Speaking during the Matchroom Talent Agency press conference, Aspinall admitted he would be intrigued to see ‘Poatan’ face Jones if the fight were arranged.
The British heavyweight praised Pereira’s achievements in the sport and suggested the matchup would attract huge attention from fans.
“Alex Pereira is a generational talent, I think he’s one of the best fighters the UFC has ever seen,” Aspinall said (via Seconds Out).
“I think it’s fantastic and it’s a very interesting fight. Everybody who is a UFC fan will be tuning in.”
While the UFC heavyweight landscape is still uncertain, Dana White recently commented on his relationship with Aspinall after suggestions there had been tension between the two.
White insisted he still considers the British fighter the company’s heavyweight champion.
“He’s still my heavyweight champion. The company has talked to him, I haven’t talked to him but Tom and I obviously need to talk,” the 56-year-old American began by saying.
“He and his dad came out recently and said that they felt like I had sort of s— on them in the way that I had spoke about his eye injury, which was positively not the case.”
White also stressed that he respects Aspinall and denied criticising the fighter’s injury.
“Never once did I question his injury or speak negatively about it… They thought I had knocked him in some way, which I absolutely, positively didn’t and wouldn’t, I like him very much and respect him.”
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