We will add former interim UFC light-weight champion Dustin Poirier to the record of those that disagree with Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic being the following title struggle at heavyweight.
Not many subjects have been debated in 2024 fairly just like the championship dialog within the UFC’s heavyweight division, which at the moment boasts two champions, solely one among which is eager on combating the opposite.
After an damage pressured Jones out of his deliberate protection towards Miocic at Madison Sq. Backyard final November, Tom Aspinall stepped up on brief discover to seize the interim gold on the expense of Sergei Pavlovich.
Whereas that will normally result in a unification showdown, Jones has remained agency on Miocic being his subsequent struggle regardless of pushback from Aspinall, in addition to many fighters, followers, and pundits.
Within the meantime, Aspinall will put his belt on the road in a rematch towards Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in Manchester this month. The build-up to that July 27 bout will little doubt function Jones’ identify closely and discuss of Aspinall making one final bid to leap forward of Miocic.
In accordance with one UFC star, nevertheless, a 3rd choice ought to be the main candidate upon Jones’ comeback type damage…
Poirier: It’s The ‘Excellent Time’ For Jones vs. Pereira
Throughout a latest in-studio look on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Poirier gave his tackle the present state of the heavyweight division and the continued debate surrounding who ought to be Jones’ subsequent challenger.
Whereas a lot of the opposition to Miocic receiving a shot over three years on from his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou has positioned Aspinall within the place as a substitute, “The Diamond” desires to see Alex Pereira shoot for two-division glory.
“Stipe’s been out bit. Stipe may come again and be a totally completely different particular person,” Poirier mentioned. “Aspinall’s clearly legit; he’s the interim world champion, he’s beat some good guys. However he doesn’t have the aura that Alex and Jones have. … (Pereira’s) beginning to get that aura, like a Fedor (Emelianenko) had or an Anderson (Silva) had.
“It’s the proper time for it. I might (do it now). Yeah, (bypass the Miocic struggle),” Poirier continued. “It’s larger! It’s a blockbuster, bro. … And within the mild heavyweight division, who’s he gonna struggle? Ankalaev? Nothing towards Ankalaev, however I’m not excited (by that). On the level he’s at in his profession, he’s a celebrity. I wish to see him vs. Jones at heavyweight.”
Jones himself has famous Pereira as a future choice and prompt it sits above interim champ Aspinall by way of intrigue.
However identical to his division’s different titleholder, “Bones” has refused to budge from Miocic with the intention to accommodate an excellent struggle with Pereira towards the top of 2024.
