Pereira puzzled by Jones' silent dig after White House title loss: 'I've never spoken badly about him'

Alex Pereira says he was left baffled by Jon Jones’ wordless reaction video after the Brazilian suffered a second-round knockout defeat to Ciryl Gane at the White House on June 14, a loss that ended his bid to become the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in three divisions.

Jones posted a video in which he wore a goat necklace — widely interpreted as a pointed comment directed at Pereira — before later congratulating Gane on the victory. No words were spoken in the clip, but the symbolism was not lost on Pereira, who addressed it directly on his YouTube channel.

“I saw the video and, honestly, I was surprised,” Pereira said in Portuguese. “If it were someone who had been provoking him and then lost, and he said something afterward, okay, that would make sense. But I’ve never spoken badly about Jon Jones. I’ve always respected him.”

Pereira also pushed back on the suggestion that he had ever claimed to be the greatest fighter of all time — a title long associated with Jones. “Tell him to post any interview where I said that if I win, I’d be the greatest,” he said. “If people consider me the greatest, okay. If they don’t, that’s okay too. I’m making my money, I’m making history. Whether I am or not, that’s not for me to decide.”

The light heavyweight champion had moved up to heavyweight after reclaiming his 205lb belt with a first-round knockout of Magomed Ankalaev earlier in 2025, with a showdown against Jones appearing to be the logical next step. Both fighters had spoken positively about the potential matchup, but the UFC opted to book Gane as Jones’ challenger instead.

Pereira said the timing of Jones’ dig made it sting more than the content itself. “Honestly, I just don’t understand why he did that when an athlete is going through a tough moment,” he said. “Nobody wants to lose. When he was going through a tough time, what did I do? I supported him. But not everyone is the same. Everyone thinks differently.”

Despite the friction, Pereira insisted he will not revise his view of Jones. “I’m not going to stop being a fan of his,” he said. “I’ve always spoken well of him. I’m a fan. I just don’t understand why he did that.”