Jose Aldo wants spot on UFC 217, is willing to fight anybody

Jose Aldo is no longer the UFC featherweight champion, having come up short against Max Holloway in June, but he still wants to stay active. In fact, the former champ is eager to insert himself into the lineup for the stacked UFC 217, which goes down this November 4 inside New York’s Madison Square Garden.

“It’s a dream to fight [in New York], especially at Madison Square Garden,” Aldo told the media at his burger restaurant in Rio de Janeiro on Friday (h/t MMAFighting.com). “That’s a dream I have. I grew up watching boxers fighting there, so fighting at this arena is historical for me. I want to be on this [card].”

“I want to fight, no matter who the opponent is,” he continued. “The sooner, the better. I wanted to fight twice more [this year] but it won’t happen, so at least one before the end the of the year and again in January. That’s what I want.”

Given the recent talk of a bout between Aldo and Cub Swanson, this might seem like the fight to make. Apparently, however, Swanson might not be available.

“Cub said his wife is expecting a baby, if I’m not mistaken, so he doesn’t want to fight for now, so we don’t know anything,” Aldo said. “[My manager Andre Pederneiras] is talking to [UFC matchmaker] Sean [Shelby] and I’ll sit down with him, but, for now, I don’t have a name. I have to talk to [Pederneiras] first.”

While a fight with Swanson might not get the green light, rumors recently surfaced suggesting that Aldo will battle Ricardo Lamas, who he defeated at the height of his title reign back in 2014.

Who do you want to see Jose Aldo fight next? Do you think he really wants to stay active, or is he just trying to end his contract?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 9/3/2017.