Phil de Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, has stated that Alex Pereira previously turned down the opportunity to fight Tom Aspinall. De Fries believes Aspinall is better than Ciryl Gane and notes that stylistically the opponents present different challenges. He suggests a fight with Pereira would have been excellent for Aspinall. The post poses a question about which heavyweight would be a more difficult stylistic matchup for Pereira. Details about when this offer was made or the circumstances remain limited in the original post.
According to a report that has not been officially confirmed, heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall was previously offered a fight against light heavyweight king Alex Pereira — and Pereira turned it down. The claim comes from Phil de Fries, a teammate of Aspinall's at Team Kaobon, though details about when the offer was made or the circumstances surrounding it remain scarce.
Aspinall, 33, holds a 15-3 record and currently sits at number six in the pound-for-pound rankings. The Englishman stands six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach and is one of the most active strikers in the heavyweight division, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 67 percent accuracy. He also contributes on the ground, averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
De Fries also offered his view that Aspinall is a superior fighter to Ciryl Gane, the number-two ranked heavyweight contender. Gane, 36, carries a 14-2 record and brings his own well-rounded skill set to the table. The Frenchman, who fights out of MMA Factory, stands six-foot-four with an 81-inch reach and lands 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy.
Pereira, 38, is the reigning light heavyweight champion out of Brazil with a 13-4 record. Standing six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, "Poatan" has built his reputation almost exclusively on striking, averaging just 0.11 takedowns per 15 minutes. De Fries suggested a matchup between Pereira and Aspinall would have been an excellent contest.
Why it matters
- Aspinall remains without a high-profile crossover opponent after Pereira reportedly declined
- The claim raises questions about whether a future superfight between the two champions could materialize
- Stylistically, Aspinall's volume and grappling threat present a different challenge to Pereira than the more purely technical striking of Gane
