UFC legend and former featherweight champ Jose Aldo will come out of retirement to fight at UFC 301 in May.
Aldo, who was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing in 2023, will face Jonathan Martinez at the event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
News of the booking was first reported by Ag.Fight on Saturday. Cageside Press confirmed Aldo’s return to action with a source familiar with the situation.
Aldo (31-8) walked away from mixed martial arts following a loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in 2022. Prior to that, the former WEC and UFC 145lb champ had won three straight.
Since his retirement, Aldo has dabbled in boxing, following in the footsteps of old rival Conor McGregor. Starting in 2023, Aldo has put together a 1-0-1 record as a pro, while also claiming a win in an exhibition match in Rio in February 2023.
From 2006 to 2014, Aldo went undefeated in MMA, winning the WEC featherweight championship in the process. When the UFC absorbed the WEC, Aldo’s title came along with him; he would defend the now-UFC featherweight championship seven times before losing the belt in a stunning fashion to McGregor in 2015.
When the Irish star was stripped of his title due to inactivity, Aldo, who had won interim gold at UFC 200, again became the UFC’s undisputed 145lb champ. He lost the belt to Max Holloway at UFC 212, lost a rematch, and continued to battle on before moving to 135lbs in 2019, eventually losing a title fight against Petr Yan with a vacant title on the line.
Jonathan Martinez (19-4) sits on a six-fight win streak, with wins over the likes of Cub Swanson, Said Nurmagomedov, and Adrian Yanez. He is currently ranked #14 in the 135lb weight class.
UFC 301 takes place May 4, 2024 at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the following bouts reported for the event:
- Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Steve Erceg — for the UFC flyweight championship
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Iasmin Lucindo
- Paul Craig vs. Caio Borralho
- Joaquim Silva vs. Drakkar Klose
- Alessandro Costa vs. Kevin Borjas
- Jack Shore vs. Joanderson Brito
- Elves Brener vs. Myktybek Orolbai
- Anthony Smith vs. Vitor Petrino
- Jose Aldo vs. Jonathan Martinez
