Phil de Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, stated that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to fight Tom Aspinall. De Fries believes Aspinall is better than Francis Ngannou and that different opponents present different stylistic challenges for Pereira. The post posed a question to followers about which heavyweight represents a more difficult stylistic matchup for Pereira. The claim adds context to ongoing heavyweight division discussions, though no specific timeline or details about when this alleged offer occurred were provided in the post.
Phil de Fries, a teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, has claimed that light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira previously turned down a fight with Aspinall — a report that remains unconfirmed and carries no details about when or under what circumstances the alleged offer was made.
De Fries, posting publicly on social media, also contended that Aspinall poses a tougher stylistic problem for Pereira than Francis Ngannou does, framing the comment as part of a broader question to his followers about which heavyweight matchup would be the harder puzzle for "Poatan" to solve.
Aspinall, 33, holds a 15-3 record and currently sits sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings while reigning as the UFC heavyweight champion. The Team Kaobon product out of England is a physically imposing six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach, and his numbers reflect an aggressive, well-rounded game — landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a 67 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Pereira, 38, holds a 13-4 record and is the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. The Brazilian striker stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. His grappling output is minimal, averaging just 0.11 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Ngannou, also 38, carries an 18-3 record and holds a six-foot-four frame with an exceptional 83-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Aspinall has openly pursued a super-fight with Pereira, and this unverified claim adds a layer to those ongoing discussions
- A style matchup between a high-volume striker-grappler like Aspinall and a pure power striker in Pereira carries genuine intrigue at the divisional crossroads
- No official confirmation from either camp or the UFC has been reported
