Fabricio Werdum Offers to Train Alex Pereira for Hypothetical Jon Jones Matchup

Ultimate Fighting Championship great Fabricio Werdum is preparing to make the transition into coaching as he grows older.

At the tender age of 47, Werdum knows his time in competition is coming to a close. He is not quite done, despite last competing at Gamebred FC 5 in 2023 in a bare-knuckle match with Junior dos Santos. His slate predictably less packed given that he is no longer regularly fighting, Werdum is ready and willing to train other fighters to give back to the sport in a different way. In an interview with Sherdog on Thursday, Werdum discussed who he has his sights on to work with in the near future as well as what lays in store for him.

One can count “Vai Cavalo” among the many impressed by Jon Jones’ recent performance against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, and he thinks he might be able to have what it takes to help a standout competitor get the edge on Jones. That fighter? Alex Pereira, who is considering his next test between Jones and Magomed Ankalaev.

“In both cases, [Pereira] has great chances [of being] taken down,” Werdum explained. “Against Jones, I would say, it is almost impossible to not be thrown. Jones was able to take [Daniel] Cormier down. My point is to anticipate the movement to fall in a good position, unlike Miocic, [who took heavy damage when taken down]. The main goal of a good guard is not to get hit, and that’s where I could help ‘Poatan,’ with my progressive guard. But we would need at least two months. [Beating] Jones via points is difficult, but if he uses my tactics, I think he can win via knockout.”

Even though he noted that with his assistance, Pereira could beat Jones, Werdum was nonetheless gobsmacked by how well Jones has acclimated to the heavyweight division. After just two fights, the former champ believes that Jones is already among the greatest to ever do it at that weight.

“I have to put Fedor [Emelianenko] [on my heavyweight Mount Rushmore]; Jon Jones, after beating Miocic; ‘Minotauro’ [Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira] and [Mirko Filipovic] ‘Cro Cop,’” Werdum listed, while also suggesting that Jones is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the sport’s history.

If he does not get his wish to help train Pereira, Werdum is ready to focus back on himself. According to the Brazilian, he has a secret pending fight offer that he is considering, one that might make waves.

“My manager Ali [Abdelaziz] didn’t allow me to give details,” Werdum hinted. “All I can say is that it’s a new MMA event and my opponent is also a former champion.”