FIGHTER PROFILE: JOSE ALDO

Jose Aldo was one of the UFC’s most dominant champions defending the Featherweight title seven times. Aldo makes his return to the UFC Octagon in December when he faces Rob Font live from the UFC Apex Center in Las Vegas in a Bantamweight bout. Aldo hopes that with a win he will get closer to another title shot in that division. He hopes that he can string together another impressive win streak like his last one which was over a decade long.

Aldo was born in Manaus, Brazil on September 9, 1986. As an infant Aldo got his trademark scar when he was dropped on to a BBQ. It just makes the 5 foot 7 Aldo look that much tougher as it resembles a dueling scar. Aldo played soccer in his younger days and had aspirations of going pro. Aldo’s dream was supported by the most important person in his life, his father.  Aldo had a rough life as a youngster getting repeatedly beaten up in street fights. This led him to take up martial arts, first by starting to train capoeira. Aldo then started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Aldo eventually moved to Rio De Janeiro to train MMA. 

Aldo made his MMA debut at age 17 at  EcoFight 1 he won by KO (head kick.) From there Aldo would fight in various MMA promotions compiling a near perfect record of 10-1.  Aldo would then sign to World Extreme Cagefighting. He’d win his first five fights with the promotion which led him to fight for the World Extreme Cagefighting Featherweight title where he’d knockout Mike Brown. He’d then defend his belt against Urijah Faber and Manvel Gamburyan.

World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the UFC in 2010. Aldo became the first UFC Featherweight Champion as the result of the merger. He’d defend the Featherweight title an impressive seven times. He’d lose his belt to Conor McGregor at UFC 194 in December of 2015 he later would win the interim Featherweight title. He’d lose that belt  to Max Holloway. He’d fight a few more times at Featherweight and in 2019 he moved to the Bantamweight division. His second fight at Bantamweight was against Petr Yan for the vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship he’d lose by TKO in round 5.

Aldo has won his last two fights and is currently ranked fifth in the Bantamweight division. He will make his return to the UFC Octagon against Rob Font on December fourth. Hopefully Aldo finds his way to the top of the division again as he’s a great fighter and a trailblazer in UFC and MMA history.