Jose Aldo is an MMA legend famous for his 2006–2015 unbeaten record, which ended when he faced Conor McGregor. Whist being there, the Brazilian fighter became the WEC featherweight champion and then the UFC champion.
However, Aldo struggled after losing to McGregor, going 6-6 in his next 12 bouts and even fighting at bantamweight. After losing to Merab Dvalishvili in 2022, the 37-year-old retired despite having one bout remaining on his contract.
After a short venture into boxing, it was revealed earlier this year that Jose Aldo is set to make his comeback to the octagon for the last fight of his contract at UFC 301, where he will face off against Jonathan Martinez. Speculation among fans arose regarding whether or not he had signed a new deal.
According to Aldo, though, he hasn’t. In a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, the veteran shared that he has chosen not to sign a new contract because he feels it is unnecessary. He elaborated, “Financially, I don’t need it. I wouldn’t trade my health for any financial means.”
Jose Aldo emphasized his commitment to showcasing his skills and abilities through fights, rather than opting for a longer-term deal with a fixed number of fights. He mentioned that when Dana White offered him a longer-term deal with a specific number of fights, he felt compelled to take this fight in order to prove to himself where he’s at.
Jose Aldo explores his future after UFC 301 final fight
Jose Aldo has also revealed his future plans after his anticipated comeback at UFC 301. Following his retirement from MMA in 2022, ‘Junior’ made a transition to the world of boxing, where he competed in two professional fights. In his debut match, he ended up with a draw, but he managed to secure a victory in his second bout. He was later expected to go up against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in an exhibition match. Unfortunately, the fight never materialized.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Aldo discussed his plans after UFC 301 and expressed his continued interest in boxing. The Brazilian expressed his desire to be part of the highly anticipated Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Netflix card scheduled for July. He stated, “There’s a big event on Netflix later this year, and hopefully I can get on that. But we’ll have to see. There’s a lot of options floating.”
It appears that Jose Aldo is considering concluding his UFC contract with this fight in order to embark on a boxing venture, possibly as part of Jake Paul’s Netflix undercard.
So, do you want Jose Aldo to switch full-time from UFC to boxing?
