Jose Aldo confirms UFC 301 last struggle on contract, hints at boxing match at Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

Jose Aldo is leaving all his choices open as he returns from retirement towards Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301.

Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC), a UFC Corridor of Famer and former UFC/WEC featherweight champion, will finish his retirement from MMA competition lower than 20 months after his beforehand declared last struggle, which was a unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in August 2020.

Many questioned why Aldo, 37, would return to MMA after hanging up the gloves and subsequently competing in a pair of boxing matches, which he stated was a lot simpler to coach for when it comes to bodily toll. The explanations are twofold, with probably the most outstanding being his refreshed power towards stepping again into the octagon.

“I feel I wanted a break for my thoughts and my physique,” Aldo advised MMA Junkie on Wednesday via an interpreter. “Simply because of the quantity of demand I placed on myself and the tole that it had taken on me coaching for the previous 20 years. I discovered a self-discipline I may give attention to which was boxing, and I did that for some time and I used to be in a position to sort of get well from all of the stress and the whole lot else.

“Eager to be the champion and each struggle in there, the tole and the demand I placed on myself (was important). Now I really feel like I’ve performed that, and I’m in a position to come again.”

The second factor of Aldo’s return is to complete up some enterprise. He confirmed the conflict with Martinez (19-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC), which serves because the bantamweight bout of the Could 4 card at Rio Enviornment in Rio de Janeiro (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+), will mark the ultimate struggle on his present UFC contract.

Aldo stated he needs to see what alternatives can be found to him after this struggle. He was rumored for a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather this previous 12 months that didn’t materialize, and though he’s not sure that exact pairing will come round, he sees some marquee potentialities contained in the ring.

“That’s principally what I advised the UFC a pair months in the past: I wish to do that struggle, see the place I’m at, see how I do, see how I carry out after which I can decide,” Aldo stated. “I’m possibly a giant boxing struggle possibly someplace down the road later this 12 months. However we’ll revisit that with the UFC as soon as this struggle is finished with Jonathan Martinez.

“That struggle with Floyd Mayweather was principally all set and performed. Ali (Abdelaziz) was the one which was negotiating that and I don’t actually know what occurred and it ended up not panning out for us to struggle in Saudi Arabia. However there’s a giant occasion on Netflix later this 12 months (with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson), and hopefully, I can get on that. However we’ll need to see. There’s plenty of choices floating.”

Relying on his efficiency, Aldo didn’t rule out the potential for signing a brand new UFC deal and making one other run on the bantamweight title. He stated he nonetheless thinks he’s succesful holding gold, however understands that concept doesn’t even matter if he doesn’t get his hand raised at UFC 301.

Aldo additionally verified stories he was initially supplied a matchup with Dominick Cruz in his hometown. The matchup of former UFC and WEC titleholders has been a dream for years, however it has by no means come to fruition. Aldo admits he would’ve beloved to lastly make it occur, however the shift to a lesser-known foe in Martinez, who’s an honorable point out within the newest USA TODAY Sports activities/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings, didn’t shake his focus.

There’s lots at stake for Aldo at UFC 301 when it comes to accumulating leverage on his aspect shifting ahead, and that actuality isn’t misplaced on him as he revs up for struggle evening.

“Clearly it will’ve been good for me, for Dominick, for all of the followers and the media who had been asking for this struggle for such a very long time,” Aldo stated. “There’s plenty of historical past round a struggle between myself and Dominick, however Jonathan Martinez is a really powerful opponent and what actually issues to me is I have a look at each struggle like I’m combating one of the best and I’m combating the largest problem. That hasn’t modified.”

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