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The superfight isn’t booked yet but the drumbeat for Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira is deafening. Fresh off reclaiming his light heavyweight title with a first-round KO of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, Alex “Poatan” Pereira signaled he’d wanted to call out Jones. He held back out of respect following the passing of Jones’s brother, but made clear that if he gets his wish, he’d meet the heavyweight GOAT at the proposed UFC White House event. Enter Joe Rogan, who used his podcast to pitch the matchup and to crank up the spectacle. Rogan’s Pitch: Catchweight + a New BMF Twist Rogan called Jones–Pereira “the matchup to make,” proposing a 225-pound catchweight with no titles at stake—only a supersized, symbolic strap. “The big money fight is Alex and Jon Jones at the White House… Catchweight. Make it 225 pounds,” Rogan said, touting a “Bad Motherf*cker Upper Edition” as the marquee hook. “As a matchup, you’ve got the greatest of all time in Jon Jones, and arguably the most destructive striker that’s ever competed.” Why It Resonates Right Now Pereira’s moment: Two-weight UFC champ, fresh off a violent title reclamation; the sport’s most feared power puncher wants the biggest stage possible. Jones’s aura: The consensus GOAT at heavyweight, unlikely to cut back to 205, still commanding the sport’s grandest spotlights. White House concept: A made-for-television spectacle the UFC has flirted with—exactly the kind of setting to justify a non-title, crossover main event. The BMF Precedent—And the “Upper Edition” Idea The BMF belt debuted in 2019 as a one-off and has resurfaced for special-lightweight and welterweight headliners. Rogan’s twist expands the gimmick to heavier classes, sidestepping weight-cut and divisional logjams while preserving both men’s belts. Hurdles to Clear Scheduling & health: Aligning Jones’s timeline with Pereira’s quick-turn ambitions. Divisional obligations: Heavyweight and light heavyweight title pictures and contenders like Tom Aspinall can’t be ignored indefinitely. UFC calculus: The promotion loves belts on posters—but a catchweight BMF could be the rare exception if the spectacle is massive enough. The Stakes—Legacy and Box Office Rogan labeled it “the biggest fight in human history, in MMA” hyperbole, maybe. But the ingredients are there: the GOAT vs. the sport’s most terrifying striker, two-division mystique, and a one-of-a-kind venue concept. If the UFC wants a generational crossover moment, Jones–Pereira at 225 checks every box. Bottom line: Nothing signed, everything buzzing. If timing, politics, and promotion align, Rogan’s “BMF Upper Edition” could turn a fantasy booking into the year’s ultimate MMA event.
