Jose Aldo plans to fight three times in 2019 and retire from MMA
Former UFC featherweight king, Jose Aldo may not be a UFC fighter for long. He is arguably the greatest featherweight to ever compete and will no doubt be in the UFC Hall-of-Fame one day. But, it appears that day is happening sooner than many expected.
Speaking at a media event in Brazil, Aldo laid out his plan for 2019, which calls for him to retire at the end of the year.
“I want to end my career here in Brazil. That’s what we have planned,” Aldo said during a UFC media day in Rio de Janeiro. “I want to do these three fights… I’ll fight in Fortaleza now, and I’m already negotiating my next one for May [at UFC 237], if I’m not mistaken [that’s] in Curitiba, and then finish it in the second semester, which I know will have another event in Brazil.
”There’s no reason to get here and aim for a title fight. But you can be sure that I’ll be a problem for whoever gets in front of me because I will win these three fights. You can be sure of this.”
Aldo is scheduled to fight fellow Brazilian, Renato Moicano in the co-main event of UFC Fortaleza on February 2. Before fighting Moicano, Aldo was last seen in the Octagon at UFC Calgary in July. He defeated Jeremy Stephens by TKO in the first round. Before that, Aldo lost the two title fights to current champion, Max Holloway.
Although Aldo was a dominant champion, as he said the title is no longer important. He wants to fight in Brazil, something that his coach, Andre Pederneiras, believes will happen.
“We asked them to complete Aldo’s contract fighting in Brazil so he could give the final three fights of his career to the Brazilian fans here,” Pederneiras told the media. “That’s his will, that’s what he asked Dana [White], and apparently that’s what’s going to happen.”
If 2019 is truly the end, it was an amazing career for Aldo.
