Jose Aldo will return to the Octagon in a featherweight title unification bout against the surging Max Holloway at UFC 212, and the Brazilian is more fired up than ever to make a statement as champion.
‘Scarface’ will defend his title on home soil for the fourth time at UFC 212, taking on Holloway at the Jeunesse Arena in his backyard of Rio de Janeiro, and said ‘Blessed’s’ plans to take over his ‘village’ in Brazil only motivated him to train harder in the gym.
“F—k no. Bullsh-t. Won’t take anything,” Aldo said at a media scrum in Rio on Thursday, per MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz. “He’s just another one who will try, and he doesn’t know how trained I am. I’m excited about this fight because of everything he said. That only motivated me every time he talked. You can be sure that he won’t take any kingdom here.”
Aldo, 30, has been competing in the sport since 2004 and has had his fair share of wars throughout his career. The 145 lbs. champ went back-and-forth with Frankie Edgar in their first bout at UFC 156 and fought Chad Mendes in a pulsating five-round battle at UFC 179.
When the Nova Uniao product was knocked out for the first time in his career by Conor McGregor at UFC 194, many wondered whether those wars had finally caught up with him.
The Muay Thai-based fighter silenced those concerns last year at UFC 200, beating the top-ranked Edgar via unanimous decision in the co-main event. But Aldo is ‘done’ with decision wins and plans to KO Holloway on June 3.
“I’ll knock him out,” Aldo said. “I’m done with wars. I’ve been in many wars already. You can be sure that there’s a knockout coming.”
Aldo, who was complimentary of Holloway’s skillset, respects the Hawaiian’s accomplishments — Holloway is on a ten-fight win streak — but doesn’t think he poses any real danger.
“He’s in a good moment, has a good reach, his height is good,” Aldo said. “He has a good kickboxing, is not that good on the ground. He’s an athlete, I wouldn’t say complete, but does well everywhere. He doesn’t have heavy hands, is not a knockout artist, so you can be sure that I don’t see this danger that everyone else sees.
“I have to respect my opponent, always, doesn’t matter who he is, but I’ll get in there and win, that’s a fact.”
UFC 212, which features Aldo vs. Holloway in the main event, takes place at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 3.
About the author
