Jose Aldo’s rib not broken, UFC 189 fight with Conor McGregor will go on as scheduled

Fears of Jose Aldo's rib injury forcing him out of his UFC 189 featherweight title fight with Conor McGregor can temporarily be put to…

By: Mookie Alexander | 8 years ago
Jose Aldo’s rib not broken, UFC 189 fight with Conor McGregor will go on as scheduled
Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

Fears of Jose Aldo’s rib injury forcing him out of his UFC 189 featherweight title fight with Conor McGregor can temporarily be put to rest. In a statement released by the UFC shortly before 10 PM ET on Wednesday, the promotion confirmed that Aldo’s rib is not broken and that he had actually suffered a bone bruise. Still painful, but not a full-on break.

In light of recent reports regarding the status of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, UFC has received official medical confirmation from several doctors that Aldo did not suffer a broken rib. Following a review of the scans, it has been determined that the champion suffered a bone bruise to his rib and cartilage injury during training.

With this news, Aldo has expressed that he has every intention of facing Conor McGregor at UFC 189.

You might obviously be wondering – what if Aldo isn’t able to compete after all? The UFC has confirmed an interim title fight will be made, and Chad Mendes has been chosen over Frankie Edgar for the potential bout with McGregor.

While Aldo has indicated that he will compete in Las Vegas on July 11, UFC has confirmed a contingency plan. No.1 featherweight contender Chad Mendes will face McGregor for the interim UFC featherweight championship in the event Aldo cannot compete.

So regardless of what happens to Aldo, McGregor will be fighting for a belt, whether the real one or the interim. But for the time being, a collective sigh of relief can be had. UFC 189’s main event is still Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor.

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Mookie Alexander
Mookie Alexander

Mookie is a former Associate Editor for Bloody Elbow, leaving in August 2022 after ten years as a member of the staff. He's still lurking behind the scenes.

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