The former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo came out of a two-year retirement to defeat contender Jonathan Martinez with a unanimous decision win. His performance at UFC 301 wrapped up his promotional contract with the UFC, leaving him open to other opportunities.
Before the contract ran out, Aldo was given a chance to renew, but he opted out to show his diverse skills in other combat sports and to test himself again under MMA rule after his short boxing stint. The Brazilian has yet to decide on his fight career, but before the Martinez fight, he had agreed to box Neeraj Goyat in the undercard of Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson.
The fight will surely gain a lot of coverage and audience, which means more money for competitors. However, Aldo is willing to hold off on receiving any new contract till he hears what UFC has to say, though he has mentioned jumping the line and taking a swing at Sean O’Malley for the UFC bantamweight title if he signs a new deal with the organization.
“As far as walking is concerned, I actually had a fight scheduled coming up in Jake Paul card,” He revealed. “He had invited me to be a part of a great show, the spectacle, it’s gonna be him, fighting Mike Tyson on Netflix. But I have that. I’m gonna have to sit down and wait for what he UFC offers me. We still need to because of the love and respect that I have for the organization.
“I want to listen to them. I do feel very confident in a boxing ring. I feel good doing boxing. I feel that I have things to accomplish, but I need to step back and evaluate the proposal that I get from the UFC because my dream was always to be in this organization. They have treated me so well with such a high level of respect. So, I wanna see what they can offer me.”
“I have to give priority to what I have my entire life, right? ”Thank God, the Aldo I am today and what I do today, thanks to the UFC. I want to sit down with the UFC first. Who knows, maybe I’ll continue in MMA. I was doing this for 20 years, always giving everything I had. I never went out, never took vacations, nothing but training and training. This time away was good for me and my head my body. I could recover. I consider myself a great MMA fighter again.”
“It all depends now on what they will present me and what the plan for the future is, “Aldo said. I don’t think money is the matter now. We’re not thinking about that. We’re thinking about what I can do and where I can go. That’s what we have to see now. My dream was to become a champion, and I’ve trained for that. My body is prepared for that. Everyone saw what I did in my return. I did a bit of everything. I was a complete MMA fighter. I’m feeling great to do even more. Who knows, to be in the champion future.”