Tom Aspinall has welcomed the prospect of a heavyweight showdown with Alex Pereira, should ‘Poatan’ confirm speculation and move up a division for what would be the second time in his still brief UFC run.
Aspinall, the UFC’s heavyweight champion, has been absent from the cage for almost exactly a year after defending his interim crown against Curtis Blaydes in Manchester last July.
But now established as the division’s pacesetter following the retirement of the former champion Jon Jones, Aspinall is assessing options for his next fight and first defence of his undisputed world title.
One name that has been frequently mentioned is that of Alex Pereira, the former middleweight and light heavyweight champion who could, in theory at least, make history by becoming the first fighter to win world titles in three weight divisions of a major MMA organisation.
This speculation was renewed recently after a video posted to social media by Pereira showed that this physique suggested a move to heavyweight may be possible – and if that comes to pass, Aspinall says it’s an opportunity he would take, even if he thinks the Brazilian should concentrate his efforts on regaining the 205-pound strap from Magomed Ankalaev.
“As far as he’s concerned, I think that… if I was him, I’d want to get a rematch and get the light heavyweight belt back,” Aspinall said to UFC op Eurosport, as noted by MMA Fighting.
“But I think the weight thing, the guy and his team know what they’re doing on social media. They know how to make headlines, which is good. I think, as far as I’m aware, that’s quite normal for him and other big light heavyweights to get up to 240, 250. So I don’t know. Maybe he’s just teasing it, maybe he’ll be in. I have no idea.”
That said, Aspinall says he will agree to any bout that the UFC proposes, with the likes of Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov and Derrick Lewis suggested as possible contenders.
“Any fight is interesting to me,” the Englishman said. “I don’t need much to be enticed into a fight with somebody. I’m the easiest guy. Just tell me who I’m fighting, and I’m in.
