Jose Aldo returns with impressive win over Jonathan Martinez in UFC 301 co-main event
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to us tonight, May 4, 2024, for UFC 301, going down live from the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Headlining the event is a flyweight title bout between Alexandre Pantoja (27-5) and no. 10 ranked Steve Erceg (12-1).
Co-headlining the event is the return of former multi-time WEC and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (32-8), who comes back to the octagon tonight following a 2-0-1 stint in professional boxing to face no. 12 ranked Jonathan Martinez (19-5).
Aldo left the sport off a defeat to no. 1 ranked Merab Dvalishvili in 2022, a fight he went into on a three-fight win streak, where he became the only man in Dvalishvili’s 12-fight UFC career he couldn’t take down.
Martinez on the other hand came into the bout on a six-fight win streak, having gone 8-1 over his last nine since 2020.
Continue reading to see how our 135 lb co-main event of the evening went down:
Official Result: Jose Aldo def. Jonathan Martinez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Martinez landed a few good leg kicks in the early goings of the bout, Aldo returning with one of his own. Aldo let go on a couple heavy combinations to the body that landed, and also landed two good right hands and two more heavy leg kicks through the remainder of the opening round.
Aldo opened up the second with a good cross to the body before letting go on another combination. Martinez shot in for a takedown along the fence, the referee separating them for a lack of action. Aldo got back to work with his striking once they were back to range, unloading on nasty combinations to the body and wobbling Martinez with a right hand in an exchange.
Aldo also continued using his leg kicks in the second and was throwing head kicks as well as knees up the middle.
Martinez came out with a sense of urgency in the third and final round, pressing the action and controlling the center. The former champion attempted a takedown, though Martinez easily stuffed it. Aldo, though moving backward, continued to pick Martinez apart, utilizing great feints and letting go on strikes when he needed to.
Aldo hurt Martinez badly with a left hook in the middle of an exchange followed by a knee up the middle. He unloaded on Martinez from here before securing an easy takedown and controlling Martinez on the mat for the remainder of the fight.
Jose Aldo at 37 years of age is still one of the best fighters in the world. This was a great return tonight for the ‘King of Rio’, picking up an impressive win in his home country of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at UFC 301.
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