UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo addressed speculation he could return to fighting in the ring after UFC 315.
Jose Aldo‘s last UFC hurrah didn’t disappoint against Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315. In a fight that arguably could’ve gone in his favor on the judges’ scorecards, Aldo lost by unanimous decision to Zahabi in an instant classic featherweight matchup.
After falling to Zahabi, Aldo announced his retirement from MMA for the second time, following his return from a multi-year hiatus at UFC 301. Aldo entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023 after his first retirement following a loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278.
While Aldo hung up the gloves on his MMA career, he didn’t immediately rule out returning to fighting in the boxing ring if the opportunity presents itself.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLCJose Aldo talks boxing future after turning the page on MMA career
In between UFC stints, Aldo fought twice in the ring, fighting to a majority draw against former UFC foe Jeremy Stephens and defeating Esteban Gabriel Espindola by unanimous decision. His brief success in the ring opened potential opportunities to feature on Jake Paul-headlined cards.
But Aldo is ready to turn the page on his fighting career as a whole, and isn’t interested in continuing to grow in boxing anytime soon.
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Aldo was asked about his future plans and whether or not he’d consider transitioning to the ring.
“I made the decision right then and there, win or lose, independent of the result, I was sure of what was gonna happen,” Aldo said.
“As you know, I stopped for boxing for a brief period of time and then there was something in my heart that touched me to go back to the UFC. I didn’t do it for the money. I did it to continue my story and my history because if it was for the money, I would have gone to another organization and got more money for it.
“Win or lose, the decision was made… I’m not fighting again. I have other things going on for me.”
As for what’s next for the UFC Hall of Famer, Aldo has several successful businesses outside of the cage, and anticipates a full-time transition to his portfolio. But Aldo has changed his mind on retirement before, and fight fans shouldn’t be surprised if he reverses course in the future.
Conor McGregor shared immediate reaction to former rival Jose Aldo’s retirement
One of those who paid tribute to Aldo following his retirement was Conor McGregor, who shared one of the most heated rivalries in UFC history with the former featherweight champion. McGregor called Aldo the ‘featherweight GOAT’ in sharp contrast to their past heated relationship during their fighting careers.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya also gave Aldo his flowers after UFC 315, calling the Brazilian a ‘legend’ in combat sports. Adesanya is working towards his own fighting comeback later this year after three consecutive losses in the cage.
Aldo retires from MMA with a 32-10 professional record, including wins against the likes of Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes, and Kenny Florian.