Alex Pereira wants to remain active after UFC Freedom 250.
Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) meets Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) for the interim heavyweight title in Sunday’s co-main event (Paramount+) at the White House in Washington DC (Paramount+).
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The winner is expected to unify his belt with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC). However, with Aspinall still yet to be cleared for sparring after undergoing double eye surgery, Pereira doesn’t plan on waiting for him.
“I don’t think that Tom’s going to be ready,” Pereira told TNT Fight Sports through an interpreter. “I don’t think he’s even training. He’s recovering from surgery and then training, and I’m a guy that I want to get ready, I want to fight somebody as soon as possible.
“I want to get another fight as soon as possible. I want to make sure I finish the year. Again, I’m 38 years old. I ain’t got time to lose, so I need to fight.”
Pereira fought three times each in 2022, 2023, and 2024. This past year saw him lose his UFC light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev then regain it with a quick TKO this past October. He vacated his belt, and is now looking to become the first fighter in UFC history to win a version of a belt three different weight divisions.
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Moreover, Aspinall and his representative Eddie Hearn as clearly in a difficult situation with UFC and not on the same page, leaving questions about what the future at heavyweight looks like beyond UFC Freedom 250.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Alex Pereira casts doubt on Tom Aspinall fight after UFC White House
