Jose Aldo kicks hard, ladies and gentlemen.
The UFC featherweight champion carved his spot in the sport of MMA by overwhelming his opponents with a speedy, powerful and precise striking game, and his best offensive weapon might just be his chopping, damaging low kicks.
Just ask Ricardo Lamas.
Lamas, the most recent challenger to Aldo’s throne, came up short in his bid for the 145-pound title at UFC 169, and his only consolation prize was a battered and bruised leg, courtesy of Aldo’s sledgehammer kicks.
Check it out, via Lamas’ Instagram:
I’m not sure that Lamas is human.
Comparing this to what Aldo did to Urijah Faber at WEC 48, it is clear that Lamas is either The Wolverine or he was much better prepared for Aldo’s kicking attack.
While Aldo certainly scored with several ferocious low kicks throughout the bout, Lamas never appeared to slow from them. He was not checking them particularly well, either.
He was just…eating them.
Aldo may have taken a bit off his low kicks after shattering his foot at UFC 163, but given the speed and intensity with which he whipped his kicks into Lamas’ thigh, I personally do not see that as a likely explanation.
No limping, barely any bruising…Lamas is just a tough, tough dude, which is great, given that he can toss himself back into the mix at featherweight in short order.
Stealing one round and nearly equaling Aldo’s total striking output proved that Lamas is an elite featherweight, and now, he gets to work his way back up the ladder and try again for the coveted belt.
Aldo appears to be leaving the division for a lightweight title fight with Anthony Pettis, and UFC President Dana White recently said that it would “make sense” if Cub Swanson and Chad Mendes slugged it out for the vacated 145-pound strap, via MMA Junkie.
For Lamas, that means that one less invincible Brazilian stands in his way of UFC gold.
Do you think Lamas can eventually become champion, or will Mendes and Swanson keep him from reaching the top?
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