Phil de Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, stated that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to fight Aspinall. De Fries believes Aspinall is better than Francis Ngannou and that different opponents present different stylistic challenges for fighters. He suggested the potential matchup with Pereira would have been an excellent fight for Tom. The post raises questions about which heavyweight would pose a more difficult stylistic challenge for Pereira.
Phil de Fries, a longtime teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, has publicly claimed that light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira previously passed on a fight against Aspinall, raising fresh questions about a potential cross-divisional matchup between two of the sport's most dangerous strikers.
De Fries also argued that Aspinall presents a tougher stylistic problem than Francis Ngannou, while acknowledging that different opponents carry different challenges for any fighter. In his view, a matchup between Aspinall and Pereira would have been a compelling contest.
Tom Aspinall, 33, holds the UFC heavyweight title and sits sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings with a 15-3 record. The six-foot-five Englishman trains out of Team Kaobon and carries one of the most productive striking outputs in the division, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 67 percent accuracy. He also adds a consistent grappling threat, averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Alex Pereira, known as Poatan, is the reigning light heavyweight champion at 38 years old. The six-foot-four Brazilian holds a 13-4 record and boasts a 79-inch reach. He lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy, though his ground game remains a far smaller part of his arsenal, with virtually no takedown or submission activity on record.
Francis Ngannou, whose name was invoked in the comparison, holds an 18-3 career record and stands six-foot-four with a massive 83-inch reach.
Why it matters
- Pereira has campaigned as high as heavyweight before, making a fight with Aspinall a credible possibility
- Aspinall's combination of elite striking volume and active grappling represents a stylistic contrast to opponents Pereira has previously faced
- If Pereira did decline the matchup, it adds a layer of tension to any future negotiations between the two champions
