Jose Aldo Officially Retires at UFC Rio Event

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Former featherweight champion Jose Aldo has officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts during the UFC Rio event. The announcement came as a surprise to fans when Aldo entered the octagon to a warm reception from the audience. He then placed his gloves in the center of the cage, a symbol of his departure from the sport.

Highlights of Jose Aldo’s Retirement

Aldo’s emotional farewell was marked by tears as he waved to the crowd. His family joined him in the octagon to share this poignant moment. This retirement marks Aldo’s second exit from the sport, following an earlier announcement in 2022 after a loss to Merab Dvalishvili. That bout was critical, as a win could have led him back to title contention. Instead, Aldo faced a decision loss and chose to retire.

Aldo’s Return to the Octagon

Even after his initial retirement, Aldo remained under UFC contract and took part in boxing matches, including a notable fight against Jeremy Stephens that ended in a draw. In a surprising turn, Aldo returned to the UFC for a Brazil card in May 2024. He achieved an impressive decision victory over Jonathan Martinez in his comeback fight.

However, his career concluded after a narrow split decision loss to Mario Bautista and a tough matchup against Aiemann Zahabi later that May. Aldo opted to retire during the UFC’s return to Brazil, where he placed his gloves down once again.

Jose Aldo’s Career Stats

If this truly is the end of Aldo’s fighting career, he leaves behind a respected record of 32 wins and 10 losses. He is heralded as the longest reigning featherweight champion in UFC history, with a remarkable seven consecutive title defenses. In 2023, he was rightly honored with induction into the UFC Hall of Fame.