UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen says an insider told him Alex Pereira could vacate his light heavyweight championship and move up to heavyweight to fight for a new BMF belt that is going to be established at the White House event on June 14.
“Poatan,” who has already attained two-division glory in the UFC, now wants to move up to 265 pounds and has even called out Jon Jones multiple times. Even “Bones” has shown interest in locking horns with the Brazilian on the South Lawn of the White House.
Although Dana White is not fully game for a potential superfight between Jones and Pereira on June 14, he has seconded the Brazilian’s desire to move up to heavyweight to try and become the first UFC three-division champion.
If Alex Pereira decides to move up to heavyweight, a complication arises, as “Poatan,” who is a sitting champion, would not leave his division to fight for an interim title.
Reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is still sidelined while recovering from an eye injury suffered during his title defense against Ciryl Gane last year. Therefore, if Pereira moves up, will he fight for the undisputed heavyweight title or for the interim belt?
That remains the question of the hour. Stripping Aspinall right now while he is recovering could spark significant controversy and backlash for the UFC.
Chael Sonnen has a great idea, which he claims was originally pitched to him by “somebody in the know.” In a recent YouTube video, he said:
Would a sitting champion leave his division to fight for what is perceived to be a lesser belt? It’s interesting. I had somebody in the know give me a suggestion, but they didn’t give me the order. And what they are hearing is that a new BMF belt is going to be established at the White House. I didn’t fully get that. Did they mean another BMF belt so that we’ll have two active BMF’s or, or do they mean a version of the BMF, for example, a White House belt? And is that the one that your sitting champion [Alex Pereira] would fight for?”
Chael Sonnen is confident Alex Pereira is moving up, says it’s the right move
Chael Sonnen would love to see Alex Pereira move up to heavyweight. However, if he does advance, the 48-year-old believes “Poatan” should vacate his light heavyweight title instead of holding onto the belt, as it could create unnecessary distractions.
The UFC Hall of Famer compared the situation to when Alexander Volkanovski moved up to challenge Islam Makhachev for double-champ status, a move that Sonnen says complicated Volkanovski’s focus and thus resulted in 2 losses to Makhachev.
Chael Sonnen added that if “The Great” had to vacate his featherweight belt, permanently move up to 155-pounds and then challenge Makahchev, he would have perhaps dethroned the now P4P king and then-UFC lightweight champion.
I believe to this day that the outcome of Volkanovski vs. Islam would have been different had Volkanovski relinquished… I think that Pereira is going up. And by the way, I think it’s the right move. I like it… I love the idea of Pereira at heavyweight. I love the matchup of Pereira versus Ciryl Gane. But I do believe that if that happens, Pereira should, whether he’s compelled to or does it by choice, he should relinquish the light heavyweight championship.”
Check out Chael Sonnen’s comments below (3:04):
