Jon Jones and Alex Pereira spent the weekend firing shots at each other on social media, fueling speculation about a potential champion vs. champion superfight.
The exchange kicked off Saturday when Pereira posted a video from the tire shop in Brazil where he worked before his UFC stardom. The clip showed a tire marked "Next Jones" alongside a hammer labeled "Poatan" — a not-so-subtle challenge to the former heavyweight champion.
Jones didn't take long to respond. The UFC legend posted a video on Instagram warning Pereira about what he's asking for.
"I've beat a lot of legends from your country, my friend. I know you'd love to avenge the boys, but boy, would you be a good one to add to my list. Be careful what you wish for. Chama," Jones said, borrowing Pereira's signature catchphrase.
Jones' record against Brazilian fighters speaks for itself — he holds victories over Maurício "Shogun" Rua, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Glover Teixeira, and Thiago Santos throughout his legendary career.
The back-and-forth comes as both fighters position themselves for the UFC White House event scheduled for June 14, 2026. Jones retired last June but re-entered the USADA testing pool weeks later after President Trump announced the historic card. Pereira has been on a tear since reclaiming his light heavyweight title with an 80-second demolition of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 in October.
UFC CEO Dana White remains skeptical about booking Jones, previously telling Complex: "Can I count on Jon Jones? I can't have Jon Jones doing something bad or pulling out of the White House fight."
Whether the trash talk leads to an actual booking remains to be seen, but Jones and Pereira have made their interest abundantly clear.