Jon Jones and Alex Poatan face off to promote their UFC superfight. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
Even after retiring, Jon Jones continues to be seen as a reference in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, and rightly so. Former light heavyweight (up to 93 kg) and heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg) champion, the American is still asked about possible duels against current Ultimate names, such as Alex Poatan . In an interview on the organization's 'ALF Global' podcast this Tuesday (28), the former fighter was sincere in saying that he would beat the Pataxó Indian without much difficulty.
According to Bones, the Brazilian's main Achilles' heel is in grappling, so this aspect would be the deciding factor in a hypothetical confrontation between them. Similar to his analysis of Israel Adesanya , he expressed confidence in his ability to impose himself physically and technically against Poatan.
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“I watched Alex Pereira’s wrestling level, and it’s way behind. I feel my physical strength would have been too much for him, and I feel that the moment I took him down, I would finish him very quickly,” said Bones, who has seven submission wins in his professional career.
Jon Jones believes Alex Pereira would've been an easy matchup because of the gap in their wrestling.
"I watched Pereira's level of wrestling, and it's way behind. I feel like my physical strength would've been too much for him, and I feel the moment I got him to the ground, I… pic.twitter.com/Og8bIfyGD4
— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) July 28, 2026
Despite officially retiring in June 2025, the American fighter reversed his decision and expressed interest in participating in a UFC event at the White House, specifically against Poatan. The Brazilian shared the same desire, but Dana White opted to veto the fight. Alex ended up facing Ciryl Gane in the co-main event, being knocked out in the second round.
Jon Jones is one of the best fighters in UFC history.
Known for being a well-rounded athlete with a wide range of technical skills, Jones delivered one of his best performances when facing a striker in the heavyweight division (up to 120,2 kg). In his debut in the category, he became champion by taking Ciryl Gane to the ground and submitting the Frenchman with a guillotine choke against the cage in the opening minutes of the fight.
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