UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones vs. UFC light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira was “a possibility” just a few weeks back.
Now, it’s completely off the table, according to UFC CEO Dana White. The Las Vegas fight boss was on the Pat McAfee show earlier today to help promote the upcoming UFC 305: “Du Plessis vs. Adesanya” pay-per-view (PPV) event when asked if he was still planning to book Jones vs. Pereira.
“No,” White said with a certain degree of finality.
Probably because Jones is already scheduled to defend his heavyweight title against former 265-pound champion Stipe Miocic later this year. While nothing is official at this time, all signs point to the UFC 309 PPV card on Sat., Nov. 16, 2024 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
So what happens with Pereira?
With No. 2-ranked Magomed Ankalaev getting paired off with No. 5-ranked Aleksandar Rakic (blame the golden goose), there’s no telling what the promotion has planned for “Poatan,” who was also attached to a potential slugfest opposite interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.
Hopefully we’ll get some answers in the next few weeks … if not sooner.