At the UFC 309 post-fight press conference last year, UFC CEO Dana White made it clear that there was “no f—–ng way” he would book a fight between Alex Pereira and Jon Jones. Highlighting the stark size difference and ‘Bones’ elite wrestling skills, White explained, “[Jon is a] great wrestler… I like Pereira… It just doesn’t make sense to make that fight.” According to the head honcho, a matchup against the reigning heavyweight champion would be too much for the 37-year-old lifelong kickboxer.

Now, as we enter March, the anticipation is at an all-time high for UFC 313, one of the biggest pay-per-view events of the year. Set to go down tonight at the T-Mobile Arena in Nevada, the event will see Alex Pereira put his 205-pound title on the line against Magomed Ankalaev. Many consider Ankalaev to be the Brazilian’s toughest stylistic challenge yet, given his strong wrestling and grappling pedigree.

Despite never being submitted, the Russian possesses the kind of skill set that could test Alex Pereira like never before. For UFC veteran Daniel Cormier, Ankalaev may be a tough challenge for ‘Poatan’, but this fight could also be the key to unlocking a future showdown with Jon Jones. On ESPN MMA, Cormier responded to the question, “Who would you rather see: Jones versus Pereira or Jones versus Aspinall?” ‘DC’ favored a heavyweight title unification bout between Tom Aspinall and Jones, but didn’t completely dismiss the Brazilian as a potential opponent for the New York export.

“If he overcomes the challenge this weekend, a key concern people have about his matchup with Magomed Ankalaev is dealing with his wrestling and takedowns. If he proves on Saturday that he can defend against them… if he shows this weekend that he can stop takedowns, you might have to reconsider,” said the former two-division champion.

Both Alex Pereira and Jon Jones are approaching the twilight of their careers. Many believe ‘Bones’ could retire as early as this year, while ‘Poatan’ may hang up his gloves within the next two years. What better way to cap off their legendary legacies than a monumental “champ vs. champ” fight? As Conor McGregor would call it, a “red p–ty night”—a showdown destined to generate massive hype and revenue.

With both fighters enjoying immense popularity for different reasons, even UFC CEO Dana White is well aware of the fight’s magnitude. Though he initially dismissed the idea of Jones vs. Pereira, White later reconsidered, leaving the door open for what could become one of the biggest matchups in UFC history.

What is Dana White’s condition for Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira?

As Alex Pereira prepares to face his toughest challenge yet in Magomed Ankalaev, Jon Jones is also looking to solidify his heavyweight title reign. Since November 2023, Tom Aspinall has held the interim heavyweight title, awaiting a unification bout. After successfully defending it against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last year, Aspinall’s pursuit of the undisputed championship is still in limbo.

The Englishman’s path to unification hit a roadblock when Jon Jones, following his victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, reportedly threatened to relinquish the heavyweight belt and retire if the UFC didn’t set up a fight against Alex Pereira. Dana White, however, made it clear that for Jones vs. Pereira to happen, ‘Bones’ must first unify the belt against Aspinall.

“If he [Jon Jones] beats Tom Aspinall, then yes, I would do the Alex Pereira fight,” White said on The Pat McAfee Show in November. This week, White reiterated his position in a candid interview, suggesting that if ‘Poatan’ gets past his current challenges, he could face the winner of Jones vs. Aspinall: “Let’s see how this fight plays out, if he wins, how he wins, all that kind of stuff. I think that the fight everybody wants to see right now is Jones and Aspinall, and then there’s no doubt that Pereira could fight the winner.”

What are your thoughts on Alex Pereira potentially moving to the heavyweight division? If he does make the leap, do you think he has a chance against Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall? Or will the size and skill of these two be too much for the Brazilian to overcome? Share your predictions below!