Jose Aldo now sees his loss to Conor McGregor at UFC 194 as a fated event, part of McGregor’s journey rather than a career-defining mistake for himself. Aldo also believes a rematch with Max Holloway would be a suitable comeback fight for the Irish fighter.
Aldo’s perspective is significant as it connects the pivotal 13-second knockout that reshaped featherweight history, the current amicable relationship he shares with McGregor, and the ongoing question of McGregor’s relevance in the cage after a period of inactivity.
Jose Aldo on the UFC 194 Fight with Conor McGregor
Aldo’s primary sentiment is that he no longer views the UFC 194 outcome as a career-ending event. In December 2015, McGregor knocked him out in a record 13 seconds to claim the UFC featherweight title. Aldo now interprets that night through the lens of destiny, not regret. In an interview with Jackpot City Casino, Aldo shared:
“How do I think my career would have been different if I had beaten Conor McGregor in that title fight? I think for the fans it would’ve been huge, a great fight, a big win. But I believe in destiny. It wasn’t my mistake, it was Conor’s merit. He landed a great shot and won. After that, he moved up. I understand now, he struggled to make weight. He gained weight and never returned to featherweight because he wasn’t a natural fit for that division.”
This perspective aligns with subsequent events. McGregor never defended the featherweight belt after defeating Aldo. Aldo later secured an interim title against Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 and was then promoted to undisputed champion when McGregor was stripped of the belt in November 2016.
“So I think things happened as they were meant to. I did my job, I fought, I won what I had to win, and I carried on. I’ve never been someone to dwell on losses. Once you spill a glass of milk, you can’t undo it, you clean it up and move on. That’s how my career went. I asked for a rematch, then I fought for the title again, won it, and kept going.”
Another notable aspect of Aldo’s interview is his calm demeanor when discussing a fighter who was once a fierce rival. Aldo states that their relationship is now “very good,” and recent reports indicate they still communicate.
“What is my relationship with Conor like now? It’s very good. Not just with Conor, but with all my opponents, I’ve always had respect and a certain fondness for everyone. We exchange messages now and then. Recently I told him I was very happy he accepted Jesus as his saviour. I congratulated him and all that.”
Will Conor McGregor Make a Comeback?
Aldo also offers a pragmatic view on McGregor’s current career stage. He suggests that fame alone can only carry a fighter so far, and McGregor needs to compete again for fans to believe in a genuine return.
“When a fighter becomes a global star, they start doing films. But they still need to stay in the UFC, otherwise they fade away. So he needs to fight. I believe at some point he has to come back, it doesn’t matter who against, but he needs to be in there fighting again to reignite that spark.”
Regarding a potential matchup, Aldo sees the logic in McGregor facing Holloway again. Their first encounter was in August 2013, where McGregor defeated Holloway by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 26, long before Holloway became a prominent champion in the division.
“If it happened now, I think it would be a great fight for both Conor and Holloway. Both are stand-up fighters, similar in age, it’s a great matchup and a great comeback opportunity for Conor.”
