Jose Aldo Retires From MMA

Jose Aldo Retires From MMA

UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo announced his retirement. The former UFC featherweight champion is hanging up the gloves after a controversial decision loss to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315.

Aldo discussed his intentions to retire in his UFC 315 octagon interview.

“I don’t think I have it in me anymore,” Aldo, said through an interpreter after the loss. “This was a very tough week that I felt that I didn’t have it in me.”

“I don’t want to go into war all the time and go through all this,” Aldo added. “I just don’t have it in my heart anymore. … I think this is the last time you’re going to see me. I can’t do this anymore.”

Aldo expanded on his decision to retire in a post on X.

“This may have been my last time inside the Octagon,” Aldo said. “This week, I faced one of the biggest battles of my life, and it wasn’t against an opponent, but within myself. Over the past few years, I rekindled the dream of becoming a champion once again. I trained as I always did, gave more than I ever had. But while cutting weight, something inside me said: “You don’t need to do this anymore.” And I listened. It’s time to move forward. To live for my wife, for my kids. To celebrate the story I wrote with every war, every belt earned through blood and faith.”

“Thank you, Dana White and Lorenzo Fertita. Thank you to the UFC. And most of all — thank you, my fans. You were the fuel behind every walk to the cage. You made me a king. If this was my farewell, know that I leave in peace. With a heart full of gratitude and my head held high because I made history. Because I lived my dream. Because, above all, I stayed true to myself.”

Aldo will go down as an all-time great fighter and a legend of the sport. At his peak, he was the best fighter on the planet. The inaugural UFC featherweight champion defended the seven times. That run featured many impressive performances. It’s almost more impressive that his post-championship reign lasted for a decade and featured a collection of great wins.

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The end of Aldo’s career did not go to plan. He was cast in a gatekeeper role after returning from his initial retirement in 2022. In that role, he went 1-2. The catch is that his two losses were both highly questionable decisions that could have gone to Aldo. Instead, he was on the wrong side of the scorecards.

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