Ali Abdelaziz shares one-word reaction as José Aldo marks UFC 301 comeback with win
José Aldo took to Instagram to share a picture of himself hoisted on his longtime coach's shoulders as the pair celebrated his successful comeback at UFC 301. His performance against then-streaking bantamweight Jonathan Martinez drew widespread praise across social media, including from Ali Abdelaziz.
The Dominance MMA manager popped up in the comment section of the former featherweight champion's Instagram post. While Abdelaziz did not say much, he did say enough, acknowledging Aldo's status as the legendary 'King of Rio,' a title that the latter has carried for years now.
"King"
Aldo returned to face Martinez after two years away from the octagon and seemed to be in tremendous physical shape. Moreover, he was just as quick and technical as ever, quickly neutralizing his foe's powerful low kicks with checks before landing low kicks of his own.
The MMA great remained patient on the counter, stinging Martinez whenever the latter stepped into range. He even landed his trademark intercepting knee as Martinez dipped with a level-change. Perhaps the most notable moment of the fight occurred in round three.
Aldo landed a heavy blow, rocking his foe to leave him on wobbly legs. A finish seemed imminent, but 'Scarface' opted to score a takedown instead, which he did with supreme ease. He spent the remainder of the round controlling Martinez from side control to capture the win via unanimous decision.
With his 38th birthday awaiting him later this year on Sep. 9, 1986, many wondered whether Aldo would look as most fighters in their late 30s do: encumbered by age and wear-and-tear. Instead, he offered fans a glimpse of the Aldo of old with one more vintage performance.
Ali Abdelaziz almost secured a José Aldo a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Following his first retirement from the UFC, José Aldo made the decision to pursue boxing, securing a win and a draw in professional bouts. However, according to a recent pre-UFC 301 interview he had had with the MMA Junkie, Ali Abdelaziz was negotiating on his behalf for a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
"That fight with Floyd Mayweather was basically all set and done. Ali [Abdelaziz] was the one that was negotiating that and I don't really what happened, and it ended up not panning out for us to fight in Saudi Arabia."
Check out José Aldo's comments about almost boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr. (8:07):
While details on the dead matchup are scarce, it appears that Saudi Arabia was a prospective location for the clash. Alas, it fell through for reasons unknown to even Aldo himself.