MMA fans have been buzzing about the potential matchup between Alex Pereira and Jon Jones, but former fighter Ben Askren has some reservations about Pereira’s chances if he were to move up to heavyweight to face the former champion.
In a recent podcast with Daniel Cormier, Askren expressed concerns about Pereira’s ability to defend against Jones’ wrestling skills. He pointed out Pereira’s struggles against takedowns in past fights, including being taken down and kept down by Jan Blachowicz.
Askren highlighted the fact that Pereira has yet to face a skilled wrestler in his MMA career, raising questions about how he would fare against someone like Jones, who has a strong wrestling background. He believes that a fight between Pereira and Jones could potentially be over quickly if Jones is able to utilize his grappling skills effectively.
While Jones is currently eyeing a matchup with former champ Stipe Miocic, Askren believes that the next logical step for Jones should be a fight against interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall. He emphasized the importance of not leaving Aspinall with the interim belt and suggested that a fight between Jones and Aspinall should happen before any potential matchup with Pereira.
As fans eagerly await Jones’ next move, the debate over who he should face next continues to heat up in the MMA community. Will Pereira be able to prove his doubters wrong and secure a fight with Jones, or will Jones face Aspinall first as Askren suggests? Only time will tell.