UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has a message for Alex Pereira. 

The Briton, the UFC’s interim champ since last November, has so far drawn a blank in his pursuit of the heavyweight fold’s formal champion Jon Jones and while he has his hands full with Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in Manchester later this month, he is leaving the door open for light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira should the Brazilian decide to pursue UFC gold in a third weight category.

Last weekend’s win for Pereira against Jiri Prochazka has left fight fans wondering exactly what the ceiling could be to his achievements in the UFC, and if he could become the first-ever fight to have held titles across three weight divisions after previously holding the organisation’s 185-pound title in addition to the 205-pound crown he currently wears.

And if he is happy to try his hand, Aspinall says he will accomadate him.

“As we’ve seen with me, I’m not shying away from anybody,” the Englishman said in an interview with talkSPORT.

“So if the UFC want to do that, I’m more than happy to do it. But as an elite-level fighter myself, you can’t help but be impressed with what Alex Pereira has done over the past couple of years. This time a few years ago, no one knew who he was and now he’s one of the biggest stars in MMA — one of the best fighters in UFC history.

“I really, really respect what he’s done. Does that mean that I don’t want to fight him? No. I absolutely want to fight him, but I’m sure there will be a time and a place for it. I’m not jumping ahead of things right now. I’m fighting Curtis Blaydes now, and if that’s what the UFC want to do one day, then we’ll absolutely do it.”