Jose Aldo softening stance on retirement? “IF I continue in the sport”

After it was announced that UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor would be moving up to lightweight to fight UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 205 in New York on November 12th, interim UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo requested his release from the UFC so as to retire from MMA and pursue another sport professionally.

That was met with resistance by the UFC brass, who informed Aldo that they would not be releasing him from his contract. In addition, UFC President Dana White informed Aldo that he would have no problem getting him a fight, but the promotion would not be releasing him. Aldo fired back by reiterating that he wants to move on from MMA, and would be willing to throw fights to complete the remainder of his UFC contract.

During a recent interview with MMAFighting, Aldo appeared to soften his stance, now saying “IF” he continues in MMA.

“Today, we think the way we have to think,” Aldo said. “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.”

“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.

“If I continue in the sport, I make it clear that I want to see money. 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.”

White also said this week that he would be meeting with Jose Aldo this week, and that he could get the interim featherweight champion more fights.