Merab Dvalishvili reveals Jose Aldo told him he was retiring after UFC 278: “He said, ‘That means this is my last fight”

Merab Dvalishvili has revealed that former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo might be done.

The two bantamweights faced off last Saturday night at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The bout was a pivotal matchup in the 135-pound division, as both men were in title contention.

Prior to the bout, the Brazilian stated his ideal scenario would be to win the fight, win the title, and retire this year. Sadly for Aldo, the plan got disrupted last weekend. Dvalishvili outworked the legend in the clinch and won by unanimous decision.

The loss was a devastating one for the former UFC champion. Given his age, and wear and tear, it’s no secret that Aldo has been thinking about retirement for a while. According to his UFC 278 opponent, he might be officially done.

Merab Dvalishvili discussed Jose Aldo retiring on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. The bantamweight contender revealed that he had an emotional post-fight conversation with the Brazilian. In the conversation, Aldo reportedly told his opponent he would retire.

(via Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

“When he was down and I [went] to shake his hand and tell him, ‘Thank you so much for the fight,’ and I go to respect him, he was down, and I tried to help him, and he was telling me, he said, ‘That means this is my last fight, because it was my last run to title,’” Dvalishvili said. “And then he said, ‘I guess I’m done.’ (h/t MMAFighting)

“It was a very emotional moment. That’s why I was talking to him. I said, ‘You’re amazing, you did so much, you don’t have anything to prove, you’re a legend – you’re a king.’ I was a little bit heartbroken.”

It’s worth noting that given the loss, Jose Aldo’s emotions were likely running high, and his mind could change. In his post-fight statement on Instagram, the 35-year-old didn’t discuss retirement. As of now, Aldo is yet to confirm he’s done.

What do you think about Merab Dvalishvili’s comments? Sound off in the comment section below!