Phil de Fries, a training partner of Tom Aspinall, has stated that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to fight Tom Aspinall. De Fries believes that while Aspinall would be a great matchup, Tom is a better fighter than Ciryl Gane and presents different stylistic challenges for Pereira. The post poses a question to readers about which fighter would be a more difficult stylistic matchup for Pereira. Details about when this offer occurred or the specific circumstances are not provided in the original post.
Phil de Fries, a training partner and close associate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, has reportedly claimed that light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira previously passed on a fight with Aspinall — though no official confirmation of that claim has emerged and specific details about when or how such an offer was made remain unclear.
Aspinall, 33, holds the UFC heavyweight title and carries a 15-3 record fighting out of Team Kaobon in England. Standing six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach, the orthodox heavyweight is one of the more complete fighters in the division. He lands an exceptional 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a 67 percent striking accuracy rate, and also contributes on the ground with 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a multi-dimensional threat. He sits at number six in the pound-for-pound rankings.
Pereira, 38, is the reigning light heavyweight champion from Brazil, carrying a 13-4 record. Standing six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, "Poatan" lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. His grappling activity is minimal, averaging just 0.11 takedowns per 15 minutes, which underscores his identity as a striker-first competitor.
De Fries argued that Aspinall would represent a more demanding stylistic problem for Pereira than Ciryl Gane, the number-two ranked heavyweight. Gane, 36, holds a 14-2 record and fights out of MMA Factory in France. The six-foot-four Frenchman sports an 81-inch reach and lands 5.29 significant strikes per minute, but averages just 0.68 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- The claim, if accurate, raises questions about a potential super-fight between two reigning UFC champions
- Aspinall's significantly higher striking volume and takedown output could present stylistic problems that differ from what Pereira has previously faced
- Because this report comes from a training partner rather than either camp officially, it should be treated as unconfirmed
