Jose Aldo hopes Conor McGregor is next for the title: ‘It would be a huge fight’

BARUERI, Brazil — Jose Aldo defended the UFC featherweight championship for the seventh straight time against Chad Mendes at UFC 179, and the Brazilian fighter hopes Conor McGregor gets the next shot at his belt.

“I hope he’s next because it would be a huge fight,” Aldo said during a Q&A session before UFC Fight Night 58 official weigh-ins in Barueri, Brazil, on Friday.

McGregor is 4-0 in the UFC, but Aldo doesn’t believe he’s good enough to fight for the gold. However, he wants the challenge.

“We have to look at both sides of the situation,” Aldo explained. “He talks a lot, so it makes you more excited to fight. It makes it more intense. I hope he’s next and that we can do a great fight.

“He’s a tough fighter, but we haven’t seen him against a top 5,” he continued. “He’s not ready, but the promotion he does is good. He’s a good athlete. He talks a lot. If he doesn’t talk that much, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

“I see Chad (Mendes) as the best of them. If you put (Frankie) Edgar, Conor or (Ricardo) Lamas, he beats all of them on the same night.”

McGregor faces Dennis Siver in Boston on Jan. 18, and Aldo favors him to win.

“I’m rooting for Conor,” he said. “Like it or not, I hope he wins because I will win a lot by fighting him.”

McGregor claims the UFC will have him facing Aldo for the UFC gold in a soccer stadium in Ireland, and Aldo wouldn’t be opposed to the idea. However, he would prefer to fight again in Brazil.

“It all depends on the negotiation,” Aldo said of fighting in Brazil. “If they pay me well… We have soccer stadiums here too, so if I could bring this fight to Brazil, I don’t care about him.”

BARUERI, Brazil — Jose Aldo defended the UFC featherweight championship for the seventh straight time against Chad Mendes at UFC 179, and the Brazilian fighter hopes Conor McGregor gets the next shot at his belt.

“I hope he’s next because it would be a huge fight,” Aldo said during a Q&A session before UFC Fight Night 58 official weigh-ins in Barueri, Brazil, on Friday.

McGregor is 4-0 in the UFC, but Aldo doesn’t believe he’s good enough to fight for the gold. However, he wants the challenge.

“We have to look at both sides of the situation,” Aldo explained. “He talks a lot, so it makes you more excited to fight. It makes it more intense. I hope he’s next and that we can do a great fight.

“He’s a tough fighter, but we haven’t seen him against a top 5,” he continued. “He’s not ready, but the promotion he does is good. He’s a good athlete. He talks a lot. If he doesn’t talk that much, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

“I see Chad (Mendes) as the best of them. If you put (Frankie) Edgar, Conor or (Ricardo) Lamas, he beats all of them on the same night.”

McGregor faces Dennis Siver in Boston on Jan. 18, and Aldo favors him to win.

“I’m rooting for Conor,” he said. “Like it or not, I hope he wins because I will win a lot by fighting him.”

McGregor claims the UFC will have him facing Aldo for the UFC gold in a soccer stadium in Ireland, and Aldo wouldn’t be opposed to the idea. However, he would prefer to fight again in Brazil.

“It all depends on the negotiation,” Aldo said of fighting in Brazil. “If they pay me well… We have soccer stadiums here too, so if I could bring this fight to Brazil, I don’t care about him.”