Jose Aldo introduced his retirement after dropping a call to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315, saying in his post-fight interview that “I simply don’t have it in my coronary heart anymore”. Talking to UFC Brazil moments later, he revealed he was coping with vital accidents going into the occasion.
“This struggle was laborious,” Aldo mentioned. “I had a muscle tear on the arm, I had one thing on the stomach that I forgot the title, down there, [from] kicking lots. I had some issues. A virus an infection, a bunch of issues. The docs [said], ‘Get him out of the struggle,’ however I didn’t wish to as a result of in my head I knew this could possibly be my final struggle.”
Aldo was coming off a disappointing defeat to Mario Bautista in October and went three laborious rounds with Zahabi, happening to lose a controversial resolution. The match was initially scheduled for 135 kilos, however was moved to featherweight after Aldo had points chopping weight.
The previous UFC and WEC featherweight champion ends his profession with a MMA document of 32-10, going 8-0 in WEC and 14-9 within the UFC.
“I wished to finish right here in Canada,” Aldo mentioned. “I began right here, and wished to finish right here. I may finish it in Brazil or some place else, however no. My story began right here in Canada, that is the place I first fought within the UFC in opposition to Mark Hominick. However it’s half [of life].”
The Brazilian legend mentioned he wouldn’t have executed issues totally different had the UFC booked him in opposition to fellow veterans, reminiscent of Dominick Cruz, and mentioned he already thought of retirement earlier than the occasion.
“I had that in thoughts already, was speaking to [coach] ‘Dede’ [Pederneiras] and [Aldo’s wife] Viviane [Pereira], that I wished to cross to the opposite facet,” Aldo mentioned. “I feel it’s extra of the mindset of getting in there — I wouldn’t say I used to be stuffed with it, however to see I actually must cross to the opposite facet. I at all times demand lots from myself, however now I wish to get pleasure from my household, be a father, decide up my youngsters in school. That’s what I wish to do.”
That is the second time Aldo has retired from the UFC. Aldo left MMA after dropping to future champion Merab Dvalishvili in August 2022, transitioning to boxing and going 2-0-1 within the squared circle earlier than ultimately returning to the octagon in 2024. The 38-year-old has gained one among three fights since.
