Alex Pereira has already cemented his status as one of the UFC’s most decorated fighters. Now, he aims for a legacy-defining fight that could set him apart. The Brazilian dominates at light-heavyweight, holding the belt for a second time, and has previously claimed middleweight gold. As he approaches the latter stages of his career, Pereira plans a bold push to the heavyweight division.
Should he take the leap, he has two prime targets in mind. The first is a super-fight with legendary two-weight champion Jon Jones. The second is a title shot, which would currently mean challenging Tom Aspinall.
Pereira outlines plans for historic heavyweight move
Pereira recently appeared on Brazilian TV show Omelete to discuss his future. The hosts suggested he could exploit opportunities at the top of the heavyweight division. Pereira confirmed he has two main goals for 2026. “I spoke about my interest, right? I want to fight at heavyweight, but I don’t know… I mentioned the White House against Jon Jones,” he said.
He added, “I’ve even spoken about a possible fight at heavyweight for a third belt. But it’s not in my control. I’m just waiting, like everyone else.”
What both of Pereira’s potential opponents face
Currently, Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall sit in very different positions. The two were once poised for a monumental world title clash but now seem far apart. Aspinall suffers from a serious eye injury after being poked in both eyes by Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October. He recently revealed he still cannot train and has not considered returning to competition.
Jones, in contrast, has been actively pursuing a comeback since announcing his return at the UFC White House event. The prospect of a super-fight with Pereira could finally bring him back into action.
Pereira’s heavyweight ambitions now hinge on timing, opportunity, and whether the stars align for either of these high-profile matchups.
