Phil de Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, has claimed that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to fight Tom Aspinall. De Fries stated that while he believes Aspinall would beat Francis Ngannou, the matchups present different stylistic challenges for Aspinall. He suggested that a fight with Ngannou would be an excellent bout for Tom. The post invites fans to weigh in on which opponent would be stylistically more difficult for Pereira: Aspinall or Ngannou. No specific details about when Pereira allegedly declined the Aspinall fight were provided.
Phil de Fries, a teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, has claimed that Alex Pereira previously passed on a fight with Aspinall — though no official confirmation of that allegation has emerged and the report should be treated as unverified.
De Fries made the claim without specifying when the opportunity was reportedly declined or what circumstances surrounded it. He also weighed in on a potential Aspinall matchup with Francis Ngannou, suggesting that bout would be an excellent contest for his teammate while acknowledging the two opponents would present different stylistic problems for Aspinall.
Aspinall, 33, holds the UFC heavyweight title and sits sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings with a 15-3-0 record. Fighting out of Team Kaobon in England, the six-foot-five orthodox striker is among the most prolific fighters in the division, averaging 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 67 percent accuracy, while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Pereira, nicknamed Poatan, is the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion and carries a 13-4-0 record. The 38-year-old Brazilian stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and averages 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. His grappling output is minimal, with just 0.11 takedowns per 15 minutes, which would represent a potential vulnerability against a wrestler of Aspinall's calibre.
Ngannou, also 38 and standing six-foot-four with an extraordinary 83-inch reach, holds an 18-3-0 record and ranks 12th pound-for-pound.
Why it matters
- Aspinall has been publicly seeking a high-profile heavyweight title unification or cross-divisional clash
- Pereira moving to heavyweight, even temporarily, would be one of the most anticipated matchups in the sport
- The contrasting styles — Aspinall's wrestling and striking volume versus Pereira's knockout power — make the stylistic debate legitimate
- Ngannou's reach advantage over both men adds another dimension to the discussion De Fries raised
