UFC: Poatan considers facing former champion to prove himself

The Russian has been teasing the Brazilian since he became champion of the category, in 2022, against Israel Adesanya, and has even suggested moving up to light heavyweight just to challenge the Tupiniquim’s belt, which he never paid much attention to — until now.

“Fighting Chimaev wouldn’t make the same money as Jon Jones. From the financial side and for the legacy, I’d prefer to fight Jon Jones. The fight against Chimaev would just be because a lot of people talk shit. It would be something more to prove myself”he argued, in an interview with ALF Global.

The fight against Jon Jones is something that the public has been asking for since UFC Casa Branca was announced, back in 2025. The former heavyweight champion, however, had announced his retirement a few weeks earlier, and Dana White decided not to trust him for such an important event.

Poatan x Chimaev

When Chimaev was UFC welterweight champion and saw Poatan regain the light heavyweight belt, he began to challenge the Brazilian for the title, saying he would move up a category. Pereira, however, accused the Russian of only provoking him when a belt was at stake.

In response, Poatan challenged the Russian to a jiu-jitsu-only fight, in Ultimate’s own new competition. Chimaev, however, never responded to the challenge. Now that both are without belts, they could finally face each other at light heavyweight, if the Tupiniquim decides to return to the category he dominated for almost three years.