Jose Aldo ready to focus on making money, says ‘Champion means nothing’

Nobody knows for sure if Jose Aldo is ever going to fight again. The interim Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight king has made it very clear that he no longer wants to be part of the Conor McGregor traveling circus.

Amidst an ongoing battle to determine his future with UFC, Aldo had the opportunity to discuss his stance as a hungry champion in the year 2016. The Brazilian legend knows he must adapt to the norm, no matter how unsatisfying it may be.

“If I continue in the sport, I make it clear that I want to see money,” said Aldo, per MMA Fighting. “That’s what it’s about. You can’t be a correct fighter. The right is wrong today. You don’t have to be the good guy and do what they want, that’s considered wrong today. The right is to spit at someone’s face, do cocaine or smoke weed, throw water at others, call people names, don’t show up at press conferences. That’s the right today, and that’s what Brazilian athletes have to do.”

While Aldo probably isn’t going to do hard drugs and throw objects at Stockton’s finest anytime soon, he may be on to something. If there is no room for a classy champion in today’s sport, the Brazilian might as well roll up his sleeves, get dirty and start cashing big green Irish checks. But that doesn’t mean the former pound-for-pound king will be happy doing it.

“Today, we think the way we have to think,” added Aldo. “Everybody who knows me knows that I wanted to create a legacy and not fight for money. Everybody fights for money, of course, but I wanted to leave a legacy when I retired, get my name in the history. I don’t think like that anymore. When I lost the belt, I saw how reality is. Champion means nothing.”

With two potential fights opposite former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and surging title contender Max Holloway still as his disposal, Aldo hinted at what he might be looking for moving forward.

“What means is money in the pocket, and that’s what I’m thinking about,” Aldo said. “That’s why I said ‘f*ck Holloway,’ who won eight in a row. Some people win 10, 15, and don’t fight for the belt. So, who is he to say anything? So I wanted Pettis because that would be a way bigger fight. Everybody wanted to watch this fight when we were supposed to fight in Brazil. You have to think about money first, it’s business these days. First the pocket, then something else.”

Aldo is scheduled to meet with UFC president Dana White next week to work out this whole mess and determine what can keep the Brazilian under promotional rule.

Nobody knows for sure if Jose Aldo is ever going to fight again. The interim Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight king has made it very clear that he no longer wants to be part of the Conor McGregor traveling circus.

Amidst an ongoing battle to determine his future with UFC, Aldo had the opportunity to discuss his stance as a hungry champion in the year 2016. The Brazilian legend knows he must adapt to the norm, no matter how unsatisfying it may be.

“If I continue in the sport, I make it clear that I want to see money,” said Aldo, per MMA Fighting. “That’s what it’s about. You can’t be a correct fighter. The right is wrong today. You don’t have to be the good guy and do what they want, that’s considered wrong today. The right is to spit at someone’s face, do cocaine or smoke weed, throw water at others, call people names, don’t show up at press conferences. That’s the right today, and that’s what Brazilian athletes have to do.”

While Aldo probably isn’t going to do hard drugs and throw objects at Stockton’s finest anytime soon, he may be on to something. If there is no room for a classy champion in today’s sport, the Brazilian might as well roll up his sleeves, get dirty and start cashing big green Irish checks. But that doesn’t mean the former pound-for-pound king will be happy doing it.

“Today, we think the way we have to think,” added Aldo. “Everybody who knows me knows that I wanted to create a legacy and not fight for money. Everybody fights for money, of course, but I wanted to leave a legacy when I retired, get my name in the history. I don’t think like that anymore. When I lost the belt, I saw how reality is. Champion means nothing.”

With two potential fights opposite former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis and surging title contender Max Holloway still as his disposal, Aldo hinted at what he might be looking for moving forward.

“What means is money in the pocket, and that’s what I’m thinking about,” Aldo said. “That’s why I said ‘f*ck Holloway,’ who won eight in a row. Some people win 10, 15, and don’t fight for the belt. So, who is he to say anything? So I wanted Pettis because that would be a way bigger fight. Everybody wanted to watch this fight when we were supposed to fight in Brazil. You have to think about money first, it’s business these days. First the pocket, then something else.”

Aldo is scheduled to meet with UFC president Dana White next week to work out this whole mess and determine what can keep the Brazilian under promotional rule.