As if anyone needed further validation of Jose Aldo’s greatness, the champ put on a display at UFC 179 that reminded fans of his former WEC days.
Aldo’s fight with Chad Mendes started nearly the same as the T.J. Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao bout earlier this year, with the Team Alpha Male fighter dropping the champion early. But instead of the knockdown setting the tone for the entire fight, Aldo’s championship resolve showed through as the Brazilian scored a knockdown of his own to end the first frame.
In the end, Aldo did enough to defeat Mendes and retain his belt. The champion may have been marked up on his face more than we’ve seen in quite some time, but Aldo cemented (if it wasn’t clear before the fight) that he’s the best featherweight of all time.
The fight with Mendes was billed as a grudge match between two rival gyms, so there was some emotional investment with both fighters heading into this fight. Given that and Aldo’s bruises, it will likely be some time before we see the Brazilian back in the cage.
When Aldo does return, he’ll have no shortage of bout agreements to sign.