Conor McGregor praises Jose Aldo's career, believes the former rival retired too soon

Conor McGregor's rise to superstardom was in no small part down to the rivalries he had throughout his career.

Of course, 'The Notorious' needed to win fights in order to achieve the success he has. However, had he not had such superb antagonists, who knows if McGregor's career would have been as entertaining.

The Irishman's rivalry with MMA legend Jose Aldo is well documented. The pair once shared a bitter feud, but their ill-feelings have evolved into those of respect and admiration for one another.

Aldo called time on his MMA career in 2022, and according to Conor McGregor, he retired far too early. 'The Notorious' was full of praise for the Brazilian during a recent interview with Megan Olivi. He said:

"Why did he retire? Was he not scheduled to fight again? I thought he was making inroads to the 135-pound title. And then he went to boxing and all. I don't know, whatever the reason is, all the respect to him. A real fighter, [competed] in multiple divisions, world title winner and contender and been around so long. All power to him, I wish him all the best."

Watch the interview below from 9:25:

Conor McGregor's 13-second knockout win over Jose Aldo at UFC 194 in 2015 encapsulated his early promotional career. 'The Notorious' had almost a mystical aura around him, and it seemed as though the Irishman knew what the future held.

Whilst some may look back at McGregor's pre-Mayweather UFC run as merely a "purple patch," those who were lucky enough to witness his rise know that it was far more than that.

Conor McGregor reflects on coaching against Michael Chandler on TUF 31

Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler were the two coaches for season 31 of 'The Ultimate Fighter' (TUF).

'The Notorious' had previously appeared on season 22 of TUF alongside Urijah Faber, and it seems that tensions rose far higher against Chandler.

The first episode of TUF 31 aired on May 30, with McGregor releasing the following on Twitter:

"The wait is over, we are back baby!"

See the tweet below:

The wait is over, we are back baby! #TeamMcG @espn @UltimateFighter https://t.co/uqRRMgwkth

During the same interview with Megan Olivi, Conor McGregor reflected on coaching against Michael Chandler and said:

"I don't mind Michael at all. I don't mind the team, the lads. You know, there was a bit of hostility at one stage but for the most part it's been a lot of good fun. I'd do this again." [3:05]