Jon Jones has shown huge interest in fighting Alex Pereira. Well, he claimed that it was the one fight that ‘Bones’ was actually worried about. Even though the heavyweight champion arguably has an undefeated run as a professional mixed martial artist, Pereira has also maintained his reign in the light heavyweight realm. After winning 3 back-to-back fights with KO in a single year, he attracted Jones’ attention and pushed him to ask for a fight. 

If Jones ever gets to fight the man with the hands of stone, the fight would happen either in the heavyweight division or in the light heavyweight division. But what would be the outcome of the bouts in the two realms? We asked Open AI’s ChatGPT to answer that, and AI’s response was nothing short of stupefying.

What if Alex Pereira fought the light heavyweight version of Jon Jones (~2017)

According to the AI, Jones would be the one rising victorious over Pereira via unanimous decision or submission in late round 4. Jones indeed has a strong record with 11 wins via KO/TKO and another 7 by submissions. During his heyday, it was literally impossible for anyone to stop Jones from wreaking havoc in the Octagon. Given the kind of performances he showcased in the light heavyweight division, it did seem natural for the AI to think that Jones would be the one to win against Pereira. 

Both Alex Pereira and Jon Jones have impeccable striking prowess. But the one aspect where ‘Bones’ surpasses the Brazilian champ is the ground game. With Greco-Roman grappling in his arsenal, he could have posed a serious threat to ‘Poatan’. Jones is a master of throws and takedowns. Yet, he mostly relied on his knockout power to send his opponents to sleep during his time as a light heavyweight. 

On the other hand, Pereira is a pretty strong kickboxer. After dominating the middleweight division, he stepped into the LHW world, only to climb the ladder and become the undisputed champion of the division. He has won 10 of his 12 victories via KO/TKO, and none of them came from submissions. This would indeed be the deciding factor had Pereira fought the light heavyweight version of Jones. 

The AI claimed that Jones’ better ground control would obscure Pereira’s striking. Even though ‘Poatan’ would be able to land a few hits on Jones, the heavyweight champ’s strong chin and adaptability would pull the fight to the late round. In the end, ‘Bones’ would wear Pereira down and claim the win with ground-and-pound or via submission. But what would happen if the fight takes place in the heavyweight division? Let’s find out AI’s perspective. 

Who wins if Alex Pereira fights Jones at heavyweight in 2025? AI answers

Well, the AI had a similar outcome in the heavyweight category as well. But it claimed that the fight would end in the second round. While Pereira currently dominates the light heavyweight division, Jones rules over the heavyweight division. Of course, the weight difference between Pereira and Jones is pretty significant right now. Rising to 265 pounds from 205 pounds isn’t an easy deal. No wonder, the New Yorker would have a huge weight advantage at the HW division.

On top of that, Jones has been training with the BJJ king, Gordon Ryan. Maybe that’s the reason why the artificial intelligence seemed to believe that the 37-year-old would overwhelm Pereira with superior grappling and submit him in the second round. The AI claimed that the HW champ would go for an early takedown and work towards a submission via guillotine or RNC. 

No matter the era, artificial intelligence gave its verdict in support of Jones. After all, his size, skills, and versatility made him a tough opponent for Pereira. No doubt, it would be a nightmare for the Brazilian to face Jones. But for us, it would be one of the most interesting fights ever.

Do you agree with what the AI had to say about the matchup between Jones and Pereira? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.