Oh, Jose Aldo’s gearing up for a grand return to boxing after his UFC 301 showdown with Jonathan Martinez. You heard that right. After hanging up his MMA gloves in September 2022, Aldo’s been dipping his toes in the boxing world. He’s already had a couple of bouts, drawing against Jeremy Stephens and then, clinching a win against Esteban Gabriel Espindola.
Now, here’s the juicy bit. Aldo’s stepping out of retirement for a bantamweight clash with Martinez this May 4th, right in Rio de Janeiro. And guess what? It’s the last fight on his UFC contract. Yep, the former featherweight kingpin’s got his sights set on boxing once more. He’s even given the UFC a heads-up.
Aldo spilled the beans to MMA Junkie, saying, “That’s basically what I told the UFC a few months ago.” He’s curious to see how he’ll fare in this fight, hinting at a potential big boxing match later on. But, he’s keeping his cards close to his chest until the dust settles with Martinez.
It’s been a minute since Aldo stepped into the octagon, with his last appearance being a unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili in August 2022. That loss snapped a three-fight winning streak for him. On the flip side, Martinez is on a hot streak with six wins, including a recent TKO victory over Adrian Yanez, thanks to some lethal leg kicks.
Aldo, known for his devastating leg kicks, isn’t sweating it, though. Facing a fellow leg kick aficionado, he’s ready to showcase why he’s the master. “He’s a very tough opponent,” Aldo admits, but he’s not just any fighter. He’s a specialist, prepped and primed to do what he does best. And boy, are we in for a treat.