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Daniel Cormier says Alex Pereira chose the ‘harder fight’ by calling out Jon Jones over Tom Aspinall

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 1:22 PM ET

Alex Pereira favors a superfight with Jon Jones over a shot at UFC history.

After achieving a feat that has not been seen since Jon Jones in 2018 by regaining the light heavyweight title, Pereira has his sights pointed upwards once again.

Having become a two-time champion at 205 pounds since moving up from middleweight, ‘Poatan’ is planning another divisional switch following UFC 320, where Pereira knocked out Magomed Ankalaev in 80 seconds.

The Brazilian was quick to outline his heavyweight ambitions post-fight. Rather than challenging the winner of Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane, however, Pereira wants a White House superfight with Jones.

Daniel Cormier calls Tom Aspinall a better stylistic matchup for Alex Pereira than Jon Jones

Pereira’s callout has brought about a familiar scenario for the current heavyweight champion. Like they did when Jones avoided the Englishman, Pereira has been accused of ‘ducking’ Aspinall by some in the MMA community.

Daniel Cormier, though, shut down that suggestion by branding Jones a tougher fight for ‘Poatan’ than Aspinall in a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel.

“Tom Aspinall is a very difficult matchup for anyone,” Cormier said.

“(But) the Jon Jones fight for Pereira, of all the other four (options), is the most difficult fight for Pereira. It speaks to the kind of man that Alex is.

“Alex called out the hardest fight possible,” Cormier continued. “It also shows where we are in today’s world of mixed martial arts. Like with Conor McGregor, people are almost valuing the fight over the belt.

“Right now, it would be very easy for Alex to go, ‘I want to fight Tom Aspinall.'”

Charles Oliveira is torn on potential Alex Pereira vs Jon Jones superfight

Should Pereira get his wish to fight Jones in 2026, he would have the support of one of his most prominent fellow countrymen. But things would not be as clear-cut for them as it has been in the past.

Speaking ahead of his return to action at UFC Rio this Saturday, Charles Oliveira admitted being “apprehensive” about Pereira vs Jones.

“Talking about Jon Jones is a bit complicated,” Oliveira said in Portuguese (translated by MMA Fighting). “Because I admire him a lot.

“When I fought the first time, Jon Jones was there. When I was the breakthrough fighter, Jon Jones was there. I was number two, he was number one. I admire him a lot. He was there when I fought Michael Chandler the second time.

“It’s definitely going to be a fight that I will sit down and cheer for Brazil, for ‘Poatan’,” he continued. “But I’ll be apprehensive watching it because (Jones) is great.”

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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