Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo wants to be released from his current contract, after recently threatening to take his proverbial ball and go home, apparently fed up with how the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has been jerking him around.
By any means necessary.
That includes taking a dive in order to satisfy the remaining fight on his current UFC deal. I guess that would make training camp substantially easier, though I can’t imagine the Las Vegas sportsbooks offering up any odds or betting lines on that potential contest.
“Junior” talks to MMA Fighting ahead of his Oct. 19 sit down with UFC brass:
“If they release me, that would be great, but if not, what can we do? I have other projects and that depends on this meeting we’re having with them. If I want to retire, no contract can stop me. I can go there and say (I’m retired) and they can’t force me to fight. A lawyer already looked at the contract, but I don’t want to fight (the UFC in court). I don’t want anything. Ah, you want me to fight MMA again? So I’ll get in there and tap right away, and the fight is over. I’d do it quickly. What I really want is other things for my life.”
After spending several years atop the 145-pound mountain, Aldo — one of the most outspoken critics of UFC fighter pay — was knocked out by Conor McGregor at UFC 194. His camp lobbied for an immediate rematch, but the promotion instead sent “Notorious” up a few weight classes to do this.
Aldo’s had all he can standz, and he can’t standz no more!