Jose Aldo isn’t committing to anything ahead of UFC 301.
This Saturday, Aldo faces Jonathan Martinez in the co-main event in Rio de Janeiro. Aldo has not competed in MMA since 2022, having retired following a loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278. When he first decided he was interested in returning, it wasn’t about coming back to fight in Rio. Aldo just wanted back in the game, and then things happened to work out.
“When I started talking to Dana [White] and Sean [Shelby] about my comeback, there was no plans for Rio, no names, opponents, or anything,” Aldo said through a translator at UFC 301 media day. “At first the name that we were talking about was Dominick Cruz. We were set to fight Dominick Cruz, but he had some problems with his camp and we got Jonathan Martinez, and it just ended up being in Rio, so it was a coincidence.”
When the fight was announced, Aldo returning to fight Martinez was a bit of a shock. Martinez is currently ranked No. 12 in the UFC bantamweight rankings and on an impressive six-fight winning streak, but fans have fantasy booked a bout between Aldo and Cruz for years, back when they were the featherweight and bantamweight champions of the WEC and then the UFC, and then again when Aldo dropped down to bantamweight. But while fans may be pining for that matchup, Aldo said it’s not one he was especially interested in.
“I think the fans have been waiting to watch that fight,” Aldo said. “Two former champions from the WEC days, two former UFC champions, but he’s not the one that I asked for. I wanted to get someone in the top five. That’s specifically what I asked the UFC. Dominick is coming off a series of losses, Jonathan Martinez is coming off a bunch of wins.”Of course, the matchup with Cruz can still be made after Saturday, but that’s far from a guarantee. This is the final fight of Aldo’s current UFC deal, meaning he will be a free agent on Sunday. And while Aldo did not say he intended to leave the UFC, he also didn’t shut down other possibilities for what he may do next.
Saturday is about figuring out where he stands in MMA, and then the decisions can be made.
“When we started talking to Dana, they wanted to give me a new deal, but I really wanted to have this fight, which is what I’m focused on right now, to see where I’m at, and then we can take it from there,” Aldo said. “When I stopped fighting, when I retired, I had a lot of offers, a lot of money, but it’s never been about that. So that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re going to see where I’m at.”
News
Floyd Mayweather Is Worried For Mike Tyson? His Latest Comments About The Jake Paul Fight Are Explosive! Find out below
Iп a sυrprisiпg twist iп the boxiпg world, Floyd Mayweather has giveп some blυпt advice to legeпdary boxer Mike Tysoп regardiпg his poteпtial fight agaiпst YoυTυbe star tυrпed boxer, Jake Paυl. Mayweather, kпowп for his υпdefeated record aпd strategic iпsights…
Did Jake Paul Just Guarantee a Tyson Knockout? Find Out What He Said
Paυl – Tysoп aпd Taylor – Serraпo the co-maiп eveпts iп Arliпgtoп Jake Paυl agaiпst Mike Tysoп aпd Katie Taylor agaiпst Amaпda Serraпo will be the co-maiп eveпts at AT&T Stadiυm iп Arliпgtoп, Texas, with more matches to be added to the card…
Amidst the noisy tension, Ronda Rousey and her close friends secretly comforted each other. Learn more in the comments section.
This past Thursday night, the wrestling world was caught by surprise when former WWE Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey made her debut at Ring of Honor Wrestling. Following her appearance, she also shared a special moment backstage with one of her best friends…
Ronda Rousey will return to the UFC honorably but only under these conditions, specific information is in the comments
RONDA ROUSEY is training to make a sensational return to the UFC, it’s been claimed. The former long-reigning bantamweight champion walked away from mixed martial arts in 2016 following back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Ronda Rousey hasn’t fought…
Ronda Rousey maintains this habit regularly after retiring from the UFC to have a sexy figure at the age of 37. That habit is in this comment.
Ronda Rousey at 37: Celebrating a Trailblazer in Sports and Entertainment As the calendar flips to February 1, 2024, Ronda Rousey celebrates her 37th birthday, marking another year for a woman who has redefined the boundaries of athleticism and entertainment….
Ronda Rousey did these 3 things to forever change the women’s UFC, specifically Rousey’s revolution in the comments section
No matter how far removed from the Octagon she is, Ronda Rousey will always be a central figure in UFC history. Her lofty resume and big-name recognition naturally still has a wide-ranging appeal. In fact, one former mixed martial artist revealed that she…
End of content
No more pages to load