Strickland surprises by leveling the odds of Poatan overcoming Jones in a potential UFC Casa Branca duel

Alex Poatan is Strickland's corner in the main fight of UFC 312 . Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

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After becoming the new light heavyweight champion (up to 93kg) at UFC 320, Alex Poatan surprised many MMA fans by declaring that instead of defending his title, he wanted to move up to heavyweight (up to 120,2kg) for a super fight against Jon Jones . Despite his intention, the fighter respected the difficult time the American was going through, having recently suffered the loss of his 39-year-old brother.

Keeping an eye on the situation, former victim and also Poatan's partner, Sean Strickland, didn't hesitate to give his opinion on a possible duel between the legends of the sport. Contrary to what many think, the former middleweight champion (up to 83,9kg) acknowledged the Brazilian's chances of overcoming the difficulty posed by Jones and ultimately triumphing.

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“If there’s anyone who can beat Jon Jones , it’s Alex. Jon knows how to wrestle, he has an absurd level of athleticism, but even so, Alex could make history,” Strickland declared during an interview with MMA Junkie.

So far, Jones has not commented on Poatan's challenge. The American's only reaction was to acknowledge and respect the Brazilian's request for silence, to express his condolences for the passing of Arthur Jones.

Meeting between Jon Jones and Alex Poatan . Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

When asked about his interest in making the fight happen, Dana White hesitated before making a final decision, but ultimately expressed optimism about the chances of supporting the new light heavyweight champion's move to a higher weight class. UFC Casa Branca is scheduled to take place in June 2026.

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