Jose “Junior” Aldo (28-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC)
Bantamweight (135lbs): 0-1 (UFC), Challenging for Vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship
Featherweight (145lbs): 10-4 (UFC), Former Inaugural UFC Featherweight Champion,
Jose Aldo is one of the greatest featherweight mixed martial arts fighters of all time, and at one point during his career, enjoyed nearly a 10-year unbeaten streak at 145lbs. Aldo has beaten all-time greats at featherweight like Mike Brown, Urijah Faber, Kenny Florian, and Chad Mendes.
Following the only ‘rough patch’ in his career, where Aldo lost 4 fights out of 7 and 3 of which via stoppage, he shocked almost everyone with his decision to move down to 135lbs. Jose has had a long mixed martial arts career but amazingly the Brazilian is just 33 years old and has had his entire pro career at featherweight up until 2019.
Aldo has had just a single fight at bantamweight in his career, and it was his last fight. Though many fans and analysts doubted Aldo and his transition down to bantamweight, ultimately he was not only able to make weight but also put on an absolutely incredible fight too. At UFC 245 Aldo lost an extremely tight split decision to Marlon Moraes in a bout that many fans believed he won. And after a fight with former UFC double Champion Henry Cejdo was derailed by Cejudo’s abrupt retirement earlier this year, Aldo now has a shot at the vacant bantamweight gold and becoming a two-division champion himself, at UFC 251.
A look at Jose Aldo less than 24 hours away from his cut to bantamweight. I've seen fighters look like this, still cut weight and win fights and we've all seen the opposite as well.
We'll know more tomorrow morning at the weigh-ins #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/5333FCD6Qy
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) December 12, 2019
