Michael Bisping: Tom Aspinall should be wary after Alex Pereira changed tune on Jon Jones

Michael Bisping warns Tom Aspinall that Alex Pereira could go after Jon Jones following UFC 313.

Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) defends his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) in Saturday’s main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+).

Bisping is confident Pereira calls out Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) with a win at UFC 313 after “Poatan” recently said that training with Jones wouldn’t make sense.

“Of course Pereira now is talking about Jon Jones,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “He said, a while ago, it made sense for me to want to train with Jon Jones, but it doesn’t make sense for Jon Jones anymore. OK, what does that mean?

“Well, I’m just saying, I’m the biggest fan of Tom Aspinall, and he’s a personal friend, but if I’m Tom Aspinall, I’m starting now to – not get worried, because that’s just not in his nature. But if Pereira was to win at the weekend, do it in his signature fashion and get another highlight reel knockout and then on the microphone to call out Jon Jones, the whole world loses its mind, right?”

Jones himself said that he’d rather face Pereira next over interim champ Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who has grown impatient waiting for his title unification bout.

“I think the fight to make in the heavyweight division is, of course, without a shadow of a doubt, without a question, it doesn’t need any conversation, it’s Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones for the undisputed vs. the interim,” Bisping said.

“That’s the fight that has to happen. I’m just saying, with a bit of fanfare from Alex Pereira and a willingness from Jon Jones, it just could happen. Am I crazy? Am I out of my mind? If anyone could make the fight happen, it’s Alex Pereira.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 313.