Jose Aldo says he’s here to stay after winning his comeback fight.
The former featherweight champion was at his blistering best as he outpointed streaking bantamweight contender Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 on Saturday night.
According to reports, Aldo is now a free agent after fighting out his UFC contract, but he wants to re-sign with the promotion and make one final run at the title.
“My next step is sitting with Dana [White] and we’ll see where it goes,” he told Daniel Cormier.
“I said this wasn’t going to be my last fight. I still have the physique and I’m at the age I can still fight.
“I see that I can still go for it so maybe we can come back in here and become the champion.”
Aldo didn’t miss a beat in his first MMA round in almost two years.
Martinez made the grave mistake of waiting for the UFC legend and he ended up getting peppered with kicks and punches throughout the first five minutes.
A sharp straight right-hand from Aldo was the most eye-catching shot of the first frame, but Martinez took it well and never seem hurt despite being outclassed.
Aldo kicked off the second stanza with a few hard body shots before Martinez, who is known for his striking ability, decided to initiate a wrestling exchange against the fence.
The former featherweight king never looked in any danger of being taken to the floor before the referee stepped in and separated the two men due to inactivity.
Aldo landed several big shots immediately after the break, but he found himself backing up the fence and even ate a Martinez punch towards the end of round two.
The UFC commentators thought Aldo was tiring in round three before he connected with a clean left hook that put Martinez on wobbly legs.
Unable to close the show with several big follow-up shots, Aldo dropped down for a takedown and rode out the rest of the round in top position.
All three cageside judges scored the fight 30-27 in favour of Aldo.
In August 2022, Aldo initially retired from MMA following a unanimous decision defeat against Merab Dvalishvili, who will fight bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley later this year.
‘Scarface’ got inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame after transitioning to boxing and fighting three times against two unknown opponents and a man he beat in MMA, Jeremy Stephens.
Several MMA promoters will be battling for his signature, but it appears his heart is set on staying with the UFC and adding to the legacy that has already earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
News Summary:
- Jose Aldo provides major update on his UFC future after vintage performance in comeback fight
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