Alex Pereira lead a tribute to Jon Jones‘ late brother Arthur after clinching the light heavyweight title at UFC 320 in Las Vegas.
Pereira reclaimed the title at the T-Mobile Arena by beating Magomed Ankalaev in the main event.
The Brazilian star triumphed in less than 90 seconds as he secured a technical knockout victory in the opening round against Ankalaev in their rematch.
Ankalaev had beaten Pereira back in March via a unanimous decision, but Pereira’s victory in Las Vegas saw him become a two-time champion in the division.
The 36-year-old, rather than addressing his victory immediately in the post-fight interview, instead opted to focus the attention on Jon Jones and his family following their sad loss.
Speaking to Joe Rogan in the Octagon, Pereira urged the crowd to hold a minute’s silence in honour of Jones’ brother Arthur, who passed away at the age of 39 on Friday.
Alex Pereira won the UFC light heavyweight title and then paid tribute to Jon Jones’ brother
The Baltimore Ravens announced Super Bowl-winning defender Jones had died on Friday
The Baltimore Ravens had confirmed the death of their Super Bowl-winning defensive tackle at his home in Syracuse, New York.
According to News Channel 9, his pacemaker had reportedly gone off, automatically alerting his doctor but he has already passed away by the time EMS arrived on the scene. Jones had a pre-existing heart condition.
‘I had a whole speech prepared tonight, I talked it over with my team,’ Pereira said.
‘We got some news recently, something’s happened, I want to give my respect to Jon Jones and his family.
‘I want to ask everyone here and at home to take a moment of silence for his brother.’
Jones reacted to Pereira’s touching gesture on social media, with the three-time UFC champion writing ‘Wow Alex’ and adding a prayer emoji.
Pereira had previously opened up about the death of his own brother at the age of 18.
Arthur had been spotted by Jon’s side throughout his esteemed MMA career, notably on stage at weigh-ins or in the stands when ‘Bones’ was fighting.
Jon Jones reacted to Pereira’s gesture to ask the crowd to hold a moment’s silence for Arthur
Jon Jones, left, had been supported by his brother at numerous fights during his career
Jon recently retired from the sport but announced he’d be willing to comeback to feature on the highly-anticipated UFC card set to be hosted at the White House.
However, UFC chief Dana White has suggested that Jones is not reliable enough for them to book him on the card and, thus, it seems that he will miss out.
His brother Arthur, meanwhile, spent four seasons with the Ravens after being picked by the team in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, before enjoying brief stints with the Indianapolis Colts and the formerly-named Washington Redskins.
The Rochester-born defender, who is the older brother of ex-UFC Heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former New England Patriots star Chandler Jones, announced his retirement at the end of the 2017 season.
It was in Baltimore where he got his hands on a Super Bowl ring, after helping the team defeat the San Francisco 49ers in the 2012 showpiece.
Jones sacked 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the dying seconds of that triumph in New Orleans , where he also registered a fumble recovery to earn himself a special place in Baltimore history.
‘We are terribly saddened to learn of Arthur Jones’s sudden passing,’ Ravens executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement on Friday.
Pereira made the gesture after beating Magomed Ankalaev in their light heavyweight fight
‘Arthur’s presence was a gift to everyone he encountered. His big, bright smile, infectious energy and eternal positivity created a presence that continuously uplifted others.
‘He was kind, courteous and enthusiastic – always displaying a love for family, teammates and friends.
‘We send our deepest condolences to the Jones family and all who loved Arthur.’
