Alex Pereira Warned Against Facing UFC Champion Tom Aspinall

Alex Pereira‘s first-round knockout of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 cemented his place among MMA’s best, sparking speculation about a move to heavyweight. Pereira has returned to the spotlight, avenging his earlier loss, and fans are excited to see what comes next for ‘Poatan.’ Amid the talks of a heavyweight clash, Chael Sonnen has cautioned against Pereira jumping straight into a heavyweight title fight against Tom Aspinall.

While ‘The American Gangster’ admits that Pereira has every right to call out these opponents, he cautions that such a fight may be premature. “Pereira versus Tom… I just feel you’re premature,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. He explained that if the MMA world gets behind the bout too fast, Ciryl Gane could unexpectedly become champion, making the matchup less significant.

Chael Sonnen further highlighted on his channel that the heavyweight division is still expanding, especially with UFC 321 on the horizon, where the Briton will defend his title against Gane. “What happens, let’s say we all get behind it… and ten days from now Ciryl Gane is your champion?” Sonnen asked, emphasizing how shifting focus prematurely could upset established storylines in the division.

For Alex Pereira, the advice hasn’t slowed his momentum. He is still committed to defending his light heavyweight title, possibly against Carlos Ulberg, while keeping the door open to a bout with Jon Jones. “I don’t think so [that I’ll have to wait] because that’s something he said in interviews he wants,” Pereira said Friday at a Q&A in Rio de Janeiro. “I think he will be sincere if he’s interested or not.”

The Brazilian champion understands that timing is everything, and he is determined not to waste it. While a bout with Tom Aspinall would surely grab attention, Sonnen’s caution highlights the strategic factors that go into selecting the next opponent. According to him, Ciryl Gane seems to be the better matchup. “So when I get asked, should Pereira be going after Tom? The way I hear that is, should he be going after the heavyweight championship? And it is a little bit different. Pereira versus Ciryl works.”