Phil De Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, has stated that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to face Aspinall. The post discusses the stylistic matchup differences between Aspinall and Ciryl Gane as potential opponents for Pereira. De Fries believes that while Aspinall would be a better stylistic matchup than Gane, the fight would still be excellent for Tom. The post asks followers to vote on which fighter they believe would be a more difficult stylistic matchup for Pereira.
A teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has claimed, in an unconfirmed report, that light heavyweight king Alex Pereira previously passed on a chance to fight Aspinall.
Phil De Fries, who trains alongside Aspinall at Team Kaobon, made the assertion publicly, suggesting Pereira had declined the matchup at some point before it could be formally arranged. De Fries also weighed in on the stylistic differences between Aspinall and Ciryl Gane as potential opponents for the Brazilian champion, arguing that while Aspinall would pose a tougher stylistic test for Pereira, the fight would still be a compelling one for his teammate.
Aspinall, 33, carries a 15-3 record and currently holds the UFC heavyweight title, ranking sixth on the pound-for-pound list. The Englishman is one of the most dangerous finishers in the division, landing an exceptional 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a 67 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes — a combination that makes him a threat across all phases.
Pereira, 38, holds the light heavyweight title with a 13-4 record and has built his reputation as a knockout artist, landing 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. The Brazilian rarely engages in the grappling exchanges that define so many heavyweight bouts, averaging just 0.11 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Gane, ranked second in the heavyweight division at 36 years old, holds a 14-2 record and brings a technical striking game of his own, connecting at 61 percent accuracy with 5.29 significant strikes per minute, though his grappling output is similarly modest.
Why it matters
- A potential super-fight between Aspinall and Pereira would cross divisional lines and carry significant pound-for-pound implications
- Aspinall's elite grappling and high-volume striking represents a stylistically different threat to Pereira compared to Gane's movement-based approach
- This story remains unconfirmed and is based solely on a teammate's public claim, not any official announcement
