Dana White confirms injured Tom Aspinall missed Pereira White House fight

UFC president Dana White has confirmed that heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall would have fought Alex Pereira at the White House this weekend if the British fighter was fully fit.

Instead, a unique fight card will take place on the South Lawn on Sunday.

The co-main event sees Pereira face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title.

Aspinall is currently recovering from double eye surgery following a controversial bout in October.

The 33-year-old suffered severe eye pokes from Gane, resulting in their undisputed title fight being ruled a no-contest.

Historic stakes for Pereira

When asked if a healthy Aspinall would have taken the prestigious slot against Pereira, White was unequivocal.

“Oh, 100 per cent. That would’ve been the fight,” White told TNT Sports.

The American promoter explained that numerous champions are currently sidelined, complicating the matchmaking process.

The Brazilian superstar Pereira is now stepping up to face former interim titleholder Gane.

Victory for the 38-year-old would see him become the first three-weight world champion in UFC history.

Pereira previously captured both the middleweight and light-heavyweight belts during a scintillating promotional run.

Aspinall awaits the winner

The French challenger, meanwhile, is desperate to secure interim gold for a second time.

Gane has previously fallen short in undisputed title bids against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

The victor on Sunday is widely expected to face the recovering British champion next.

Aspinall admits he is torn between seeking retribution against his recent opponent and facing a global superstar.

“I want revenge of course, but also, there’s an argument to say that me and Pereira would be a bigger fight,” Aspinall told Fight Your Corner.

Waiting for an invitation

Despite the lucrative appeal of a Pereira showdown, the Salford-born fighter anticipates a different outcome.

“I would say Gane beats Pereira by points; I think he’s just gonna move too much for him,” he added.

Despite his status as the division’s kingpin, Aspinall revealed he has not been formally invited to attend the historic Washington event.

The heavyweight titleholder insists he does not feel disrespected by the omission.

However, the British star made it clear he would eagerly accept a late call to watch the action from ringside.

“If they asked me, I would definitely go. I would like to watch the fight up close,” Aspinall confirmed.