Jose Aldo has had enough of Conor McGregor, the UFC and MMA, and nothing can change his mind.
The former UFC featherweight king shocked the MMA world last week by announcing that he requested a contract termination from the promotion after being denied a rematch against Conor McGregor as the Notorious had been booked to fight Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight strap at UFC 205. His coach Andre Pederneiras revealed he would be willing take the fight to court if they refused him his wish.
Aldo confirmed that he wanted to quit the sport entirely, claiming that MMA had lost its way and had devolved from a sport that promoted respect to an entertainment business that rewarded self-promotion for the wrong reasons.
In an interview with Brazilian sports channel SporTV, Aldo revealed that not even a chance to exact revenge on McGregor would be enough to change his mind. This means that perhaps the only bargaining chip the promotion had left to convince him to stay is now off the table.
“This fight is the fight that should’ve been made as the next fight at 145. I earned this since I’ve first arrived at the UFC because I’ve seen the other champions losing and getting immediate rematches, but in my case they made me fight for the interim belt instead. I did it and I won. Even now I don’t have any perspective for my future.”
“So for me, not even a fight against McGregor. I don’t care if he’s fighting someone else. I couldn’t care less about how he manages his own career. I want to follow my own path. So the only way for them to make things right with me is by releasing me.”
There has been a changing tide in MMA of late with big-name fighters such as Benson Henderson, Rory MacDonald and Chael Sonnen opting to leave the world’s biggest promotion to join Bellator. The obvious incentive of making this switch is the prospect of not being tied to the much-maligned UFC Reebok deal, meaning the fighters have the opportunity to earn more sponsorship revenue. However, that option does not interest “Scarface”.
“I don’t want to fight for other promotion. I’m at the level above. There’s no reason why leave the first division to fight at the second division when I’m well appreciated in the first division, it would mean taking a step back. I don’t want to fight for other promotion. I want to follow my way in a different sport, do new things. I’m a young guy, and I want to enjoy that side, too.”
Aldo also confessed that him wanting to quit the UFC isn’t driven by anger. He is very grateful for how the UFC has treated him, but now it’s time for them to part ways.
“A good thing would be if they release me without a fight. I’m not mad at the UFC or no one else. I like Dana, I have a special love for Lorenzo [Fertitta], a guy that always treated me well since I got to the UFC. If there’s something good from this, I hope they release me so I can follow my way and the UFC follows its way.”
As for that Irish braggart, even though he doesn’t want to fight him anymore, he believes that McGregor wants nothing to do with him either.
“Everybody knows he’s scared to fight me. He knows how dangerous I am for him for the fact that my last fight, everybody said that I had a safe performance and if I fight this way I don’t lose to anyone. I’ve seen him in press conferences saying that he would fight with Frankie Edgar but not against me. I think he’s scared.”
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