Jon Jones wants Alex Pereira to know he meant no offense with a recent recent video he made that seemed to be aimed at “Poatan.”
At UFC White House, Pereira looked to add an interim heavyweight championship to his collection after previously winning titles at 205 and 185 pounds. Pereira faced Ciryl Gane for the vacant belt and had he been victorious, he would have become the first fighter in UFC history to become a three-division titleholder.
Unfortunately for Pereira, he was knocked out in the second round, and he has spent much of the aftermath of the contest feuding with referee Herb Dean for missing illegal strikes thrown by Gane in the finishing sequence. He also commented on Jones releasing a video that appeared be mocking Pereira’s GOAT credentials, so Jones is now clarifying the situation.
“After the fight, I made a video that went pretty viral,” Jones told Red Corner MMA. “It was just a video of me with a GOAT necklace on and I was just making a look and I felt as if that felt like an attack to Alex and I just want to say here, if he sees this interview, that I meant no disrespect to Alex and that.
“A lot of people before the fight were saying if Alex wins, he’s the greatest of all time. My little video after Alex’s loss was a message to all my haters. It wasn’t directed towards Alex, so I want to make that really clear. I have nothing but respect for Alex.”
Jones has also held UFC titles in two divisions. At light heavyweight, the same as Pereira, and at heavyweight, a goal that Pereira is still chasing. One major difference is that Jones took three years to transition to heavyweight, a decision that worked out well for him as he made short work of Gane at UFC 285 to capture a belt vacated by Francis Ngannou. He later successfully defended it with a dominant performance against Stipe Miocic.
A lack of proper preparation might have negatively affected Pereira, according to Jones.
“I watched the fight, for sure,” Pereira said. “I felt like Pereira, he came in too big. I think he would have been better off fighting around 230, 235, keeping that speed. I feel like his power would have possibly translated over.
“But in the fight, you saw him, he was waiting. He was second guessing things, he was questioning things. That’s one of the worst things to do in a fight. It feels like a nightmare when you’re out there in front of your opponent and you know the moves, you know that you should throw that punch or throw that kick or go for that takedown and you just don’t. You find yourself out there watching instead of doing and I’ve had it happen to me many times in practice and I felt like that’s what happened to Alex. He never really got his ball rolling. Ciryl Gane came at him in southpaw stance, which also I think challenges Pereira. He was fast, he was powerful, he was unorthodox, and it was the perfect storm for Pereira. He didn’t survive it.”
Despite the recent controversy, Jones assured there is no lasting ill will between he and Pereira, who have praised each other in the past. In fact, he’s grateful that Pereira was there for him during a difficult time.
“I wish Alex all the best, though,” Jones said. “After my brother died, Pereira came out and had a moment of silence for my brother, and I respect that very, very dearly.”
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