Former UFC champion Jose Aldo is set to fight Jonathan Martinez in the co-main event at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, marking his return to MMA after retiring in 2022, and has stated that his future plans are uncertain as this is the final fight of his current UFC deal.
Jose Aldo’s future? It’s up in the air, especially with UFC 301 on the horizon.
This Saturday, it’s Aldo vs. Jonathan Martinez. The setting? None other than Rio de Janeiro. Aldo’s been out of the MMA game since 2022, stepping back after a defeat to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278. But his return isn’t about Rio. He just wanted back in. And, well, things fell into place.
Aldo spills the beans at UFC 301 media day. “When I started talking to Dana [White] and Sean [Shelby] about my comeback, there was no plans for Rio, no names, opponents, or anything,” he says. Dominick Cruz was the initial contender. But Cruz had camp issues, so Jonathan Martinez stepped in. And Rio? Pure coincidence.
Aldo’s return to fight Martinez was a surprise. Martinez, ranked No. 12 in the UFC bantamweight rankings, is on a six-fight winning streak. Fans have been dreaming of an Aldo-Cruz showdown for years, dating back to their WEC and UFC championship days. But Aldo? He’s not too keen on that matchup.
Aldo explains, “I think the fans have been waiting to watch that fight. Two former WEC champs, two former UFC champs, but he’s not the one that I asked for. I wanted to get someone in the top five. Dominick is coming off a series of losses, Jonathan Martinez is coming off a bunch of wins.”
The Cruz matchup could still happen post-Saturday. But it’s not a sure thing. This is Aldo’s final fight under his current UFC contract. Come Sunday, he’s a free agent. He hasn’t said he’s leaving UFC, but he’s not ruling out other options either.
Saturday’s about figuring out where he stands in MMA. Then, decisions can be made.
“When we started talking to Dana, they wanted to give me a new deal, but I really wanted to have this fight, which is what I’m focused on right now, to see where I’m at, and then we can take it from there,” Aldo says. “When I stopped fighting, when I retired, I had a lot of offers, a lot of money, but it’s never been about that. So that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re going to see where I’m at.”