Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion, Jose Aldo, is tasked with shutting down streaking 145-pound up-and-comer, Alexander Volkanovski, in the upcoming UFC 237 pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event on Sat., May 11, 2019 inside Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
There’s just one little problem.
Aldo was recently hospitalized with a leg infection and his status remains unknown. While “Junior” was eventually released and permitted to resume light training, he still needs to finish his antibiotics and then be reevaluated by a physician before getting cleared to compete.
“When I got to the hospital I was only supposed to be there for a night and then the antibiotics they gave me didn’t work,” Aldo told MMA Fighting (transcribed by BJPenn.com). “So they waited another two days until they switched the antibiotics which started to work. Obviously, I thought about not being able to fight and I still can’t say that I’m going to fight because I need to go to the doctor and get re-evaluated. But we’re doing everything we can and hopefully, I’ll get healed up.”
In case “Junior” is unable to answer the call, UFC matchmakers can hang up and dial again.
“I’m just waiting for a call,” the No. 5-ranked Renato Moicano told MMA Junkie. “I heard about Jose Aldo can’t fight in Rio (and if he can’t) maybe I can fight with Volkanovski. I don’t know if Aldo can’t, but I’m ready to go. I want to fight with a top guy. It can be Zabit, it can be Volkanovski, Brian Ortega — I don’t choose. If UFC put I will fight.”
Moicano was stopped by Aldo at UFC Fight Night 144 back in February, in what marked just the second defeat of his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career. No question Volkanovski — unbeaten since 2013 — would be a formidable test for either fighter.
Stay tuned.