Jose Aldo bids farewell to MMA: "I just don’t have it in my heart anymore"

Jose Aldo passed away quietly, but with dignity – just as he lived his fighting career. After a split decision loss to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315 in Montreal, the Brazilian legend decided to put an end to a chapter that marked an era in MMA.

“I just don’t have it in my heart anymore,” Aldo said in a touching post-fight interview, his face breaking with emotion. Speaking to UFC Brasil, he later revealed that he had been going into the fight with serious health issues.

“This fight was really tough. I had a torn muscle in my arm, some injury I forgot the name of on my lower abdomen from being kicked so hard, and I was also infected with a virus. The doctors wanted to take me out of the fight, but I didn’t let them because I knew this could be my last,” Aldo said.

The fight with Zahabi was originally scheduled for bantamweight, but was moved to featherweight because Aldo couldn't make weight. Although he went down, he put up three solid and competitive rounds.

UFC 315 thus marked the end of the career of a fighter who marked an entire generation. With a record of 32 wins and 10 losses, Aldo was undefeated in the WEC (8-0), and in the UFC he had 14 wins in 23 appearances, including a long reign as featherweight champion.

“I wanted to end up here in Canada. This is where it all started, and this is where I wanted to say goodbye. I could have ended up in Brazil, but no. My UFC story started here against Mark Hominick and this was important to me,” he explained.

Farewall

Although there have been rumors for some time about possible farewell fights against other veterans, such as Dominick Cruz, Aldo insists that it wouldn't change the outcome. The fatigue was no longer felt in the body – but in the head.

– I had already spoken to Dedé (trainer) and my wife Vivian that I was ready to move on. I have always asked a lot of myself, but now I want to be a father, drive my children to school, spend time with my family. That is my priority now.

This is Aldo's second departure from MMA. He first left the UFC in 2022 after a defeat by Merab Dvalishvili and switched to boxing, where he recorded two wins and one draw. He returned to the octagon in 2024, but in three fights he achieved only one victory.

Jose Aldo will not be remembered only for his belts and highlight knockouts. He will be remembered as the king of the lower weight fighters, a man who, with a minimum of words and a maximum of honor, symbolized the best that this sport has to offer.