It appears former featherweight champion Jose Aldo will have another chance to reclaim his lost crown.
According to a new report from MMA Fighting, the UFC has opted to replace the injured Frankie Edgar with Jose Aldo in the main event of UFC 218 early next month. Edgar was announced as being off the card due to injury just a few days back. That led to both Aldo and top featherweight Cub Swanson offering their services; ultimately, the UFC appears to have gone with Aldo.
That means Aldo (26-3), who served as the UFC’s 145lb champion from April 2011 to December 2015, gets another shot at the most recent man to take away his coveted title. Aldo originally lost his crown to Conor McGregor at UFC 194. Following McGregor moving up to lightweight and claiming a second belt, Aldo, who had won interim gold against Frankie Edgar at UFC 200, was promoted back to the undisputed champion.
That led to Max Holloway winning another interim featherweight title at UFC 206 in Toronto last year, and an eventual showdown at UFC 212 in Brazil this past June. Holloway shocked the Brazilian crowd that night, knocking out Aldo in the third round. Holloway was expected to make his first title defense against Edgar at UFC 218. Instead, it now appears a rematch with Aldo will be his first time defending the throne.
It’s been quite the game of musical chairs in the UFC featherweight division over the past few years. The only constant has been Holloway (18-3). The Hawaiian champion is currently on an eleven fight win streak. His last loss? In 2013, to none other than Conor McGregor.
Aldo had been expected to meet Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FOX 26 in Winnipeg next month. It appears Lamas will now need a new dance partner, if he remains on the card.
UFC 218 takes place in Detroit, Michigan at the Little Caesars Arena on December 2. Also on the card, top heavyweights Francis Ngannou and Alistair Overeem will go to war.
