Phil de Fries, a teammate and training partner of Tom Aspinall, claimed that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to fight Tom. The post presents this as new information about a potential matchup that didn't materialize. De Fries' statement suggests Pereira avoided the Aspinall fight at some point. The post also compared how Aspinall and Ciryl Gane would match up stylistically against Pereira, with the author believing Aspinall is the better fighter overall but acknowledging the matchups differ. No details were provided about when Pereira allegedly declined the fight or under what circumstances.
A claim has emerged suggesting that UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira previously passed on a fight with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, though the report remains unconfirmed at this stage.
The allegation came from Phil de Fries, a teammate and training partner of Aspinall at Team Kaobon. De Fries asserted that Pereira had at some point turned down an opportunity to face the Englishman, framing the heavyweight champion as an avoided opponent. No details were offered regarding when the fight was allegedly declined or under what circumstances the offer was made.
Tom Aspinall, 33, holds a 15-3 record and currently sits sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings. Standing six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach, the English heavyweight is one of the more physically imposing champions on the roster, and his output reflects that — he lands an exceptional 7.63 significant strikes per minute at 67 percent accuracy, among the highest marks in the sport.
Alex Pereira, the 38-year-old Brazilian known as Poatan, carries a 13-4 record and reigns as light heavyweight champion. He stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. Any cross-divisional matchup with Aspinall would require Pereira to move up in weight.
The social media post that sparked the conversation also compared how Aspinall and number-two ranked heavyweight Ciryl Gane would each stylistically match up against Pereira. Gane, 36, holds a 14-2 record and brings an 81-inch reach and fluid movement to his game, though his output of 5.29 significant strikes per minute and 0.68 takedowns per 15 minutes contrasts sharply with Aspinall's more aggressive statistical profile.
Why it matters
- Pereira allegedly declining the fight, if accurate, would raise questions about matchmaking at the top of the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions
- Aspinall has limited high-profile opponents at heavyweight, making any super-fight conversation significant
- The stylistic comparison between Aspinall and Gane as potential Pereira opponents points to broader divisional crossover interest
