At UFC on Fox 30 this Saturday in Calgary, the former featherweight king, Jose Aldo will be competing in his first non-title fight since 2009.
Aldo is currently in some unfamiliar territory in his coveted MMA career as he has lost two in a row (both to champion Max Holloway) and only won one out of his last four.
With that in mind, the Brazilian legend realizes that the end of an amazing career could be near and he recently said in a Brazilian media scrum (via MMAFighting) that he doesn’t intend to negotiate a new UFC contract after his current one expires.
”No, I don’t think [I’ll sign a new deal]. It doesn’t cross my mind to sign a new contract after [it expires].
I think it’s easier because you know it’s coming near the end, so you have to give your all because you don’t want to go out on a loss, you want to go out on top. It’s a lot easier seeing the end of the tunnel and working harder because you know it’s coming to the end.
When you’re starting there’s that euphoria, but I remain the same. I dream of being champion and dream going out as champion. That’s my biggest motivation… I take much pride in winning, I don’t accept losses, so I’m always going after that. The day I lose this fire, I think it’s time for us to stop.”
Aldo isn’t necessarily saying that he will be retiring at a certain time, but he’s figuring out how he will know.
Having accomplished everything he possibly could have in the WEC and UFC featherweight divisions that he built, it’s reasonable for the man once known as ‘Scarface’ to think about calling it a career sooner rather than later.
”That’s why I think it’s the right moment to stop. The first goal is to recapture the belt and then think about it. Not only me, but every athlete fears that. Health comes first, and we have to make sure that doesn’t happen.
We’re training each time more because I want to conquer that, but I think that if we don’t get it, I think I do. I think I leave a good legacy for new athletes who are coming up. There are new people at featherweight, bantamweight, lightweight, any other weight class that is inspired by the legacy I’m leaving.”
At UFC on Fox 30, Aldo will face off with the streaking Jeremy Stephens in the co-main event.
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 7/25/2018