Ben Askren: Jon Jones thinks Alex Pereira is an 'easier opponent' than Tom Aspinall

Last week, UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones made the case for facing light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira after his return bout against Stipe Moicoc instead of taking on interim champ Tom Aspinall.  Jones believes that a fight he and Pereira would be the biggest bout the fight promotion could make.  

“If Alex P became champion of the heavyweight division, would you guys consider him the GOAT? Being back in the gym has got me thinking differently. That fight after stipe maybe the next biggest move I could possibly make,” Jones wrote on X. “This killer has already defeated so many champions, and is already considered a legend to millions around the world. The most massive fight the UFC could make. Give Alex a chance to avenge all those great Brazilian champions I’ve defeated.”

“It would be absolutely massive,” Jones continued. “A guy with a chance to be three division champion and a goat versus the actual goat. Same age, different strengths. No one can argue that that would be the biggest fight in MMA history. There’s absolutely no fight that generates a payday like that. Marketing would be insane.”

Jones may be right about the potential match being a massive financial success, but typically when there’s an interim titleholder they fight the champion in a unification bout.  Former UFC fighter Ben Askren believes Jones simply thinks Pereira is an easy fight for him than Aspinall.

“We want to see Jones fight Tom Aspinall.  Aspinall’s got the interim belt.  Jon’s got the belt.  It just doesn’t make any sense,” Askren said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel.  “Make them fight and then if Jon beats him then Pereira versus Jon or something to that effect, but you can’t leave Tom Aspinall sitting over here with the interim belt.”    

“What Jon sees Pereira as a significantly easier opponent than Aspinall,” Askren continued.  “He does.  There’s no doubt about this.  Aspinall, he’s big and strong, hits hard, and is tough to take down and he wrestlers a little bit.  He knows what he’s doing on the ground.  He’s seen Pereira and thinks, ‘I can do the same exact thing that I did to Ciryl Gane.  Same thing.  That’s what he’s thinking, for sure.”

If Pereira and Jones were to meet in the cage, Askren doesn’t think the fight would last very long.  He doesn’t think it would even go a full round.  

“If he fights Jon Jones, I think there’s a chance it’s over in like two and a half minutes,” Askren said.  “Look what Jon did to Ciryl Gane.  Jon is a large man.  He’s a high-level wrestler.  He’s got great grappling skills.  I think there’s a possibility of that for sure.”