Phil de Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, stated that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to fight Tom. The post discusses stylistic matchups for Pereira, comparing potential bouts against Aspinall and Francis Ngannou. The commentator believes Tom is better than Ngannou and would represent an excellent fight for Aspinall. The post asks readers to vote on which opponent would be stylistically more difficult for Pereira. Details are limited regarding when this offer allegedly occurred or the specific circumstances surrounding Pereira's reported decline.
A teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is claiming that light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira previously passed on a fight with Aspinall — though the report remains unconfirmed and details are scarce.
Phil de Fries, who trains alongside Aspinall at Team Kaobon, made the assertion on social media, alleging Pereira turned down the opportunity at some unspecified point. De Fries also framed the discussion around potential stylistic matchups for Pereira, comparing how Aspinall and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou would each test the Brazilian knockout artist. De Fries expressed the view that Aspinall would represent the stiffer challenge of the two.
Aspinall, 33, holds the UFC heavyweight title and sits sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings. The Englishman carries a 15-3 record and is one of the most statistically dominant strikers in the division, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 67 percent. He also contributes on the ground, averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes. He stands six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach.
Pereira, nicknamed Poatan, is the reigning light heavyweight champion at 38 years old. The Brazilian holds a 13-4 record and brings a 79-inch reach to go with his six-foot-four frame. He lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy, though his grappling output is minimal, averaging just 0.11 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Ngannou, also 38, carries an 18-3 record and stands six-foot-four with a remarkable 83-inch reach.
Why it matters
- A potential Aspinall-Pereira clash would be a two-division title unification scenario, crossing the heavyweight and light heavyweight boundaries
- Aspinall's elite striking volume and takedown threat would pose a stylistic problem unlike most opponents Pereira has faced
- Because this story originates from a social media post by a teammate and lacks official confirmation, any fight between these two remains firmly in the rumour category
