Jon Jones ‘sensible’ for going after Alex Pereira

Daniel Cormier doesn’t fault UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones for mentioning Alex Pereira’s identify. The truth is, he would have performed the identical factor.

Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) expects to return in opposition to Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) for his first title protection later this 12 months. Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall awaits, however Jones seems to produce other concepts.

Jones referred to as a possible combat with gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) the largest combat in MMA historical past, and Cormier thinks there’s a cause why he mentioned that.

“He’s sensible,” Cormier mentioned of Jones on his ESPN present “Good Man/Unhealthy Man” with Chael Sonnen. “If I’m an Olympic wrestler or a nationwide champion, and I’m watching the panorama of issues, valuing the cash vs. the celebrity, vs. the championships and all the pieces else, I’m doing precisely what Jon’s doing. I’m saying to myself, ‘I’ve been in there with essentially the most scary, harmful males on this planet. I’ve been in there with extraordinarily properly rounded guys, with great kickboxers, with tremendous heavy punchers. I’ve been in a position to handle that. However who I haven’t been in there with is a man that could be a straight kickboxer.’

“Whereas he has improved tremendously in his grappling, nobody would ever say that’s Alex Pereira’s energy. His energy is his placing, and he can knock you out. … Not all people hits like Francis Ngannou or Alex Pereira, but when you will get away from that and handle that, it’s a lot much less dangerous than combating a man with a full skillset, that’s full. That’s precisely what Tom Aspinall appears to be like to be. So I like what Jon is doing when it comes to being sensible, discovering the fitting matchup. I don’t know that it’ll fly.”

Cormier sees Pereira doing the identical factor by concentrating on a rematch with Jiri Prochazka over Magomed Ankalaev.

“Give a tip to the cap to the champion,” Cormier continued. “The champ goes, ‘Hey, I feel Jiri Prochazka is subsequent. Ankalaev goes to have to attend.’ Good! Alex, why would you combat Ankalaev? He’s going to attempt to wrestle you. Go combat the dude you’ve knocked out already.

“These athletes are a lot smarter right this moment than they had been earlier than, and I imagine it makes for the game to be much more fascinating. I find it irresistible. I like what Jon is doing, I like what Alex is doing, however I feel Jon is selecting, ‘I’m not combating Tom Aspinall!’”