Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has tasted defeat just three times in his 29-fight pro career.
With coming off a UFC featherweight title fight loss to Max Holloway at UFC 212, “Scarface” knows that he has to earn his way back to another chance at fighting for the title once again.
“No doubt that Edgar is (the next title contender). Their fight will be in November. I know Edgar will be the next challenger,” Aldo told Ag Fight (h/t MMA Fighting). “I’m not thinking about being champion (in the short term), the game has restarted. I have to start over, with my head focused on the next opponent, and (continue) like that until I fight for the belt again. That’s what I have in mind.”
While Aldo will be competing outside the Octagon in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation tournament at the end of this week, “Scarface” says he has already got back to training and is looking for an Octagon return toward the end of the year.
“We’re already talking, I’m back to training,” Aldo said. “I’m waiting for my time to come back to fighting, but I can’t say anything until it’s done. I’ll fight at featherweight, there’s no reason to move up to lightweight. That division is not moving, nobody knows what will happen there. I’m a featherweight. … I’ll fight in December, at most, but if I can fight earlier, in November…”
Although Aldo and Holloway had their beef going into their fight, both have had good things to say about one another after their competition in the Octagon. However, Aldo still doesn’t have many good things to say about his other rival Conor McGregor.
“He’s the true champion, has his first title defense coming,” Aldo said about Holloway. “McGregor was never a champion of anything. He defeated the champion and left. A real champion has to defend (the belt). I speak for Holloway because, win or lose (against Edgar), he will be there fighting. I’m happy that Holloway is the champion. An example, someone who deserved being where he is.”
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 7/24/2017.