What is next for Jose Aldo? Three potential opportunities for 'King of Rio' after UFC 301
Jose Aldo ended his MMA retirement by making a triumphant return to the UFC's famed octagon. Brazil's Aldo faced America's Jonathan Martinez in the co-headlining matchup of the UFC 301 (May 4, 2024) event. The bantamweight bout transpired at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and witnessed 'The King of Rio' put on a vintage performance.
Aldo displayed exceptional takedown defense, outstanding striking prowess, and consistent craftiness throughout their three-round fight that went the distance. Ultimately, the judges awarded the 37-year-old MMA legend the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) victory over the 30-year-old Martinez.
Heading into the UFC 301 match, the MMA community had been speculating about Aldo's next move, as it marked the final fight on his UFC contract. In the aftermath of his win over Martinez, the question remains as to what's next for 'The King of Rio.' Today, we examine a few options that could be possible for one of the fight game's all-time greats.
#3. Jose Aldo could return to boxing
Jose Aldo's last MMA bout before UFC 301 was a unanimous decision defeat against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in August 2022. Aldo announced his retirement from MMA in September 2022 and then transitioned to boxing. The Muay Thai and BJJ practitioner has extensively honed his boxing skills in recent years.
Aldo holds a 1-0 exhibition boxing record, having beaten Emmanuel Zambrano via unanimous decision in February 2023. He made his professional boxing debut against fellow UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens, whom he had beaten via first-round TKO in their MMA bout in the UFC in July 2018. The Aldo-Stephens pro boxing bout took place in April 2023 and ended in a majority draw.
In his second professional boxing match, Aldo defeated Esteban Gabriel Espindola via unanimous decision in July 2023. As of the time of writing, Aldo's pro boxing record stands at one win, and one draw. 'The King of Rio' had previously acquired the UFC's permission to box.
However, now that he's fought out his UFC contract, it's possible that he could go full steam ahead with his boxing career. During his post-fight octagon interview with Daniel Cormier, Aldo notably alluded that he's been undergoing considerable boxing training. Aldo, who was in talks to box legendary pugilist Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year, stated the following via a translator:
"I've been boxing a lot. So, this is what I've been working on. It was a little bit harder because he [Martinez] is a southpaw. So, I had to pick my moments, pick my shots in there. But I was able to land some good shots on him."
Check out Jose Aldo's comments below (2:05):
#2. Jose Aldo expresses interest in reclaiming UFC gold
After suffering his first MMA defeat early in his career, Jose Aldo amassed a spectacular undefeated streak that lasted over a decade. During that period, Aldo won the WEC featherweight title and later reigned as the undisputed UFC featherweight champion. His epic 18-fight MMA win streak ended with a first-round KO loss against fellow UFC icon Conor McGregor in December 2015.
After losing his UFC featherweight title against McGregor, Aldo won the interim UFC featherweight title by beating Frankie Edgar at UFC 200. He was later promoted to the status of the undisputed UFC featherweight champion but lost the title to Max Holloway. 'The King of Rio' was unable to reclaim the featherweight belt.
In the ensuing years, Aldo challenged for the UFC bantamweight title but was beaten by Petr Yan. Regardless, the fact remains that Aldo is 4-1 in his past five MMA bouts in the UFC; with wins over Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, Rob Font, and now Jonathan Martinez. His lone loss came against Merab Dvalishvili, who's expected to fight UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley for the title next.
With Aldo having defeated the No. 12-ranked Jonathan Martinez in impressive fashion, many believe the MMA great could make another run at the UFC bantamweight title.
Intriguingly, at around the 2:31-minute mark of his post-fight octagon interview at UFC 301, Aldo signaled that he'll meet UFC CEO Dana White, and UFC execs Sean Shelby and Hunter Campbell, to discuss his future. That, in turn, has set fans abuzz about the possibility of his re-signing with the UFC. Aldo said:
"I have to thank Jonathan [Martinez] for this opportunity. And, 'DC,' now, my next step is sitting with Dana [White], Sean [Shelby], and Hunter [Campbell]. And we'll see where it goes ... I said that this wasn't gonna be my last fight. I think I'm in the physique. I still have the age, where I can still fight. I see that I can still go forward. So, maybe, we can come back in here and become the champion."
#1. Jose Aldo could try his hand at BKFC or Karate Combat
Over the past few years, there's been a trend of former UFC stars venturing into combat sports other than MMA. While some fighters like Mike Perry have found tremendous glory in doing so, others haven't been able to scale the magnificent heights of success they had in the UFC. Be that as it may, striking is believed to be Jose Aldo's bread and butter.
Ergo, it wouldn't be outlandish for him to test the waters in bare-knuckle boxing, or perhaps even in full-contact Karate. Presently, the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) is considered the top bare-knuckle boxing organization in the world, even more so after UFC megastar Conor McGregor was recently revealed as the new BKFC co-owner.
Aldo and McGregor have largely been respectful toward one another in recent years. Moreover, even if they were to become bitter rivals again, 'The Notorious' and the other BKFC owners would probably still let the Brazilian striking savant compete in their organization.
Though Aldo has hinted at speaking to the UFC bosses next, a potential BKFC move wouldn't be farfetched. Speaking of which, if bare-knuckle boxing in the BKFC isn't something he's looking to partake in, there's another combat sports organization founded the same year (2018) as BKFC.
The organization in question is Karate Combat, a full-contact Karate sports league, which recently hosted a much-discussed fight between former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold and veteran kickboxer Joe Schilling. Rockhold defeated fellow American MMA veteran via third-round TKO at Karate Combat 45 (April 2024).
As for Aldo, he boasts fearsome Muay Thai and overall kickboxing abilities. Aldo potentially competing in Karate Combat could add a new layer to his combat sports résumé, alongside helping add Karate techniques to his already-impressive fighting arsenal. Fans can expect additional details concerning the UFC Hall of Famer's next move to unravel in the coming days.