Former UFC champ Jose Aldo isn’t ready to walk away from the fight game just yet, as he’s signed a shiny new eight-fight deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Despite speaking openly of retirement in the near future, featherweight great and former two-time UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has signed a new deal with the promotion. ESPN was first to announce the news Monday. None other than UFC President Dana White was the source.
Aldo (28–5) was the inaugural 145lb champ in the UFC, carrying the belt over from World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) when that promotion was absorbed. Debuting in 2011, ‘Scarface’ reigned as one of the most dominant champions in UFC history until Conor McGregor knocked him out in 13 seconds at UFC 194 in 2015.
Despite that stumble, and a pair of losses to Max Holloway, Aldo remains one of the most dangerous fighters in the lower weight classes. Across his last three fights, he is 2-1, defeating both Jeremy Stephans and Renato Moicano via TKO, before dropping a decision to Alexander Volkanovski.
The contract, Aldo’s manager Andre Pederneiras told ESPN, was actually signed prior to the Valkanovski fight. That bout came last month at UFC 237.
Of course, nothing says Aldo has to finish out the contract. But should he choose to continue his career, the 32-year old will do so in the UFC for the foreseeable future.
