"There's a chance it's over in like two and a half minutes" - Alex Pereira's potential clash against Jon Jones could finish in a flash, says MMA vet

Ben Askren believes Jon Jones' grappling pedigree could lead to a first-round finish in a hypothetical fight against Alex Pereira.

In March 2023, Jones ended a three-year layoff and defeated Ciryl Gane by first-round submission for the vacant UFC heavyweight title. Since then, 'Bones' has been recovering from a torn pectoral muscle that forced him out of his first title defense against Stipe Miocic, scheduled for UFC 295 in November 2023.

Jones has engaged with fans on social media throughout his extended layoff, leading to conversations about future opponents. At one point, the reigning UFC heavyweight king voiced interest in potentially fighting Pereira, the 205-pound world champion who previously held the middleweight throne.

During an episode of Funk & Champ with Daniel Cormier, Ben Askren discussed the hypothetical matchup between Pereira and Jones. The quote was transcribed by MMA Fighting and shared on Twitter:

"[Alex Pereira] has still not fought a wrestler. So we still have all of these questions. So if he fights Jon Jones, I think there's a chance it's over in like two and a half minutes. I mean, look what Jon did to Ciryl Gane. He's a large man, he's a high-level wrestler, he's got great grappling skills. Yeah, I think there's a possibility of that for sure."

Watch the entire episode of Funky & Champ below:

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What are the odds of Jon Jones and Alex Pereira fighting in the future?

Jon Jones vs Alex Pereira would undoubtedly be a must-see pay-per-view main event. Unfortunately, the fight is unlikely for several reasons. Firstly, Jones and Dana White have remained consistent with the idea that the reigning UFC heavyweight champion will defend his throne against Stipe Miocic later this year.

Even if Pereira moved up to heavyweight, he would still be behind the interim title-holder Tom Aspinall, who's repeatedly called for a fight against 'Bones.' Although Jones has discredited Aspinall's strap, an undisputed title fight should be next following his rumored return matchup against Miocic.

Lastly, Pereira has business to take care of at light heavyweight. 'Poatan' has two potential title challengers lined up, Magomed Ankalaev and Jiri Prochazka, making a hypothetical matchup against Jones unlikely.