UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall believes his long-awaited showdown with current titleholder Jon Jones is now the only show in town after Alex Pereira lost his light-heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 on Saturday night.
Jones has often seemed reluctant to fight Aspinall, but up to this point had been much more keen on the idea of fighting Pereira instead. However, now that the Brazilian has lost his title that fight no longer makes as much sense as before, leading Aspinall to believe that his heavyweight title showdown with Jones will happen sooner rather than later.
“That’s off the table now, the Alex Pereira fight at heavyweight or any other weight,” Aspinall said on his YouTube channel. “I guess he could still fight him at light heavy, but it won’t be for a title.
“Jon, there’s only one thing to do. Sign the contract and let’s get a date going. I know we saw last night Dana White was talking, everything is now done on Jon’s side and the UFC now have to find a date and a venue, place, location, so we’re waiting for that. We’ve got some good news coming soon, hopefully.”
As for Pereira, Dana White said after the event that a rematch with Ankalaev is likely on the cards next, and Aspinall agrees that the Brazilian deserves that second chance to reclaim the belt.
“In my opinion, immediate rematch should be there next,” Aspinall said. “Alex Pereira is a massive, massive, massive star in the sport of MMA. Massive. Lost it last night, lost his title, but the run that he has been on has warranted an immediate rematch. Magomed Ankalaev, to me, looks like he’s got his number. It looks like the same thing could happen again, in my opinion. I want to see it again. I absolutely want to see that fight again.
“That was a great fight. Grueling fight. Hopefully, people on the outside who are not physically involved in the sport physically like I am can see how grueling fights like that really are. That was an absolutely exhausting fight for both guys, and we’ve got a new champion. Magomed Ankalaev, light heavyweight champion, congratulations.”
