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Jon Jones' Thrilling KO Sends Pereira into Shock as He Sees It All!

•Yahoo Sports

Alex Pereira remains optimistic that he will fight Jon Jones after inking a new eight-fight UFC deal to fight at heavyweight.

Alex Pereira - Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images Alex Pereira is still confident he will face Jon Jones as he moves up to UFC's heavyweight division. Pereira is looking to conquer his third division in June, challenging Ciryl Gane for the Interim Heavyweight title, having previously held the UFC Middleweight and Light Heavyweight titles.

He vacated the Light Heavyweight title only recently as the move up the weights was being solidified, and will be looking to match what Jon Jones done previously. Prior to the Gane fight being confirmed, however, Jones had long been the fight touted for Pereira in his move to heavyweight. So much so that when confronted with the idea of facing at-time Interim Champion Tom Aspinall, Jones made it clear that he wanted the Pereira fight and would not settle for less.

Jones has since retired from the sport, entered negotiations to return, and asked for his release after being told he was done as things stood . Despite all of that, Pereira maintained to Ariel Helwani that he is confident the fight can and will be made. He doesn't see UFC letting him go from his deal, leaving just one option if he wants to fight.

"I believe it happens because he has to be released from UFC," Pereira said, maintaining that the Jones fight will be plausible if he wins his fight in June. "I don't think the UFC's going to release him any time soon. So if he wants to fight who's it going to be against?