Alex Pereira says he believes a fight with Jon Jones will eventually happen — and that he has no intention of ever going back to light heavyweight.
"Poatan" opened up about both topics on Monday's episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, offering a clear-eyed take on his long-term future in the UFC.
On the prospect of facing Jones, Pereira explained the logic simply: Jones will need an opponent, and there's only one name that makes sense.
I believe it happens because he has to be released from the UFC, and I don't think the UFC is going to release him anytime soon," Pereira said through an interpreter. "If he wants to fight, who's going to be against him? It's going to be against me."
Pereira is currently scheduled to fight Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 this June in Washington, D.C. A win there would make him the first fighter in UFC history to hold championships in three different weight classes.
Expecting to retire as a Heavyweight
As for light heavyweight, Pereira made clear that chapter is closed — not out of frustration, but out of a sense that he's done everything there is to do at 205 pounds.
I could make light heavyweight again, but I don't think there's anything new for me there," he said. "Many guys just go on the heat of the moment and when they lose, they come back to the weight division, but I've been expressing for a long time that I've been wanting to fight a heavyweight. I think I'll stay here.
The comments came in the same interview where Pereira revealed he signed a new eight-fight contract with the UFC, saying the lucrative deal made it easy to walk away from the belt without looking back.
With Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg set to fight for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 327, Pereira's heavyweight era is now fully underway.