Phil de Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, has claimed that Alex Pereira previously turned down an opportunity to face Tom. De Fries stated that while he believes Tom is better than Francis Ngannou, the matchups present different stylistic challenges for both fighters. The post suggests this would have been an excellent fight for Aspinall. Details about when this alleged offer occurred or the circumstances around Pereira's supposed refusal are not provided in the brief statement.
A teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has claimed, without official confirmation, that light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira previously turned down a fight against Aspinall — a report that, if true, would represent a missed opportunity for one of the most compelling cross-divisional matchups in the sport.
The claim came from Phil de Fries, a training partner of Aspinall at Team Kaobon, who also suggested that Aspinall would present a different stylistic challenge than Francis Ngannou. De Fries stopped short of providing any timeline or context for when the alleged offer was made or why Pereira reportedly declined.
Aspinall, 33, holds the UFC heavyweight title and carries a 15-3-0 record. The Manchester-born fighter stands six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach and ranks sixth on the pound-for-pound list. His numbers are striking: he lands 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a 67 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes — a rare combination of offensive output across disciplines.
Pereira, known as Poatan, is the reigning light heavyweight champion at 38 years old. The Brazilian holds a 13-4-0 record and stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach. He lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy, and his ground game involvement remains minimal, with just 0.11 takedowns per 15 minutes.
De Fries also referenced Francis Ngannou, the 38-year-old Cameroonian former heavyweight with an 18-3-0 record and a massive 83-inch reach, as a point of stylistic comparison.
Why it matters
- Aspinall moving up or Pereira moving up would create a rare champion-versus-champion super fight
- Their contrasting styles — Aspinall's high-volume, multi-dimensional attack against Pereira's knockout-focused striking — make the matchup genuinely compelling on paper
- No official offer or negotiation has been confirmed; the claim originates from a single teammate and should be treated as unverified
