Alex Pereira says every fighter is in the same boat.
The UFC light heavyweight champion is awaiting confirmation of his next assignment inside the Octagon, having last competed in a rematch against Magomed Ankalaev in October 2025.
After Pereira got revenge on Ankalaev with a brutal first-round knockout, the Brazilian immediately set his sights on a heavyweight super-fight against Jon Jones.
The biggest hurdle in the way of that has been Dana White rejecting Jones’ comeback pleas. But another recently seemed to surface when covertly recorded footage showed ‘Bones’ revealing a worrying health issue.
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Alex Pereira says all fighters suffer from injuries in response to Jon Jones’ arthritis
Jones revealed he has severe arthritis and even qualifies for a hip replacement during a private discussion at a Dirty Boxing event that was recorded and posted online.
The former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion responded to the leak and suggested he is still hoping to finish out his MMA career with one final fight.
The man Jones wants to retire against recently reacted to the health revelation during an appearance on UFC heavyweight Valter Walker’s YouTube channel.
Pereira said the Rochester native is not the only athlete suffering from concerning health problems behind the scenes.
“I think every athlete has chronic injuries, serious injuries,” Pereira said.
“If a high-level athlete says something like that, for the history he has, it’s not new to me,” he added.
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Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Alex Pereira teases UFC return in cryptic post
The UFC president has held firm in his dismissal of a super-fight between Jones and Pereira at the White House.
‘Poatan’ has not given up his push to compete at the event in Washington D.C. regardless of Jones’ status. It remains to be seen if that wish will be granted, but it sounds like the Brazilian has found out.
Pereira recently hinted at impending news about his return in a cryptic social media post.
“1-2-3 and go,” he wrote on Instagram.
2026-02-19 15:00:00
