Two of the UFC’s biggest power players are circling superfights, but not everyone likes the route Alex Pereira appears to be taking. Recently, ‘Poatan’ has teased two very distinct moves: a legacy clash with Jon Jones and a boxing spectacle with Jake Paul. For some fans, the ‘Bones’ bout is a no-brainer: champion versus all-time great. But Jake Paul’s talk has critics asking where ambition ends and distraction begins.

And few critics swing as hard as Chael Sonnen. Never one to mince words, the former title contender claims Alex Pereira is flirting with destroying his own mystique. For a newly dominant light heavyweight king, ‘The American Gangster’ argues, the timing—and the target—couldn’t be worse.

Chael Sonnen warns Alex Pereira about terrible timing and tarnishing legacy

Chael Sonnen believes the entire setup is backwards. He despises when the A-side brings himself down merely to make a weaker matchup appear competitive, as ‘The American Gangster’ claims that “it never works,” and viewers see right through it. That is exactly how he saw Alex Pereira flirting with Jake Paul.

The idea that a “world-class striker” and “world-class mixed martial artist” who defeated Israel Adesanya twice would consider ‘The Problem Child’ as an equal is, in his words, “just silly.” But his biggest issue wasn’t the matchup itself; it was the Brazilian’s decision to even bring it up. Sonnen pointed out that Jake Paul is heading straight into a nightmare battle with Anthony Joshua.

“He’s dangling the idea of fighting a guy who’s about to get cleaned up,” he stated, emphasizing that he expects Paul to be steamrolled. The UFC veteran believes the timing is “terrible,” since committing to the YouTuber-turned-boxer now makes it appear as if you are chasing a spectacle that may not even last through next week. Then, ‘The American Gangster’ compared that to what Alex Pereira was proposing at the same time.

Not too long ago, ‘Poatan’ was promoting himself as the man who deserves Jon Jones at heavyweight—a legacy fight about greatness and proving he is the “king of the world.” Sonnen mocked the contradiction further in his YouTube video: “Don’t tell me that on page one, and on page two tell me you think a really good match is you versus Jake Paul.” To him, that is confusion rather than ambition.

Alex Pereira, however, appears unfazed. He describes the potential Jake Paul bout as “a challenge for both of us,” citing strong boxing sparring and a couple of pro boxing wins. With Jones’ future uncertain and Carlos Ulberg offering little in terms of legacy, the Brazilian may simply be exploring every possible avenue. And while one legend wants him to focus on his own division, another veteran of the sport has even pitched a name that Pereira can go against.

Michael Bisping wants Alex Pereira to go against Volkan Oezdemir

Picking up on Chael Sonnen’s theme that Pereira stop juggling spectacle fights, Michael Bisping proposed a contest that stays within the division but still provides fans with the chaos they seek. If ‘Poatan’ isn’t waiting for Jon Jones, and the UFC doesn’t want to rush Carlos Ulberg into a title fight, ‘No Time’ Volkan Oezdemir is the type of wild card who can instantly change the vibe at 205.

‘The Count’ admitted that it was unlikely, but he couldn’t hide why the idea interested him. Oezdemir is coming off a first-round knockout and fights in a straight line without hesitancy. On his podcast, Bisping stated that he would “sign up immediately” to watch him trade with Pereira, and Paul Felder agreed that it would be a wild round of face-punching, even if Pereira remains the clear favorite.

Bisping said, “Call me crazy, but I kind of want to see, and I don’t think it’s ever going to happen, Oezdemir vs. Alex Pereira. I think that would be a phenomenal fight. Am I crazy?” It’s not a legacy fight, and it won’t be included on a White House card. But Bisping’s point is simple: if Alex Pereira isn’t waiting for Jon Jones and doesn’t like the Ulberg fight, there are still viable options at 205.