Jose Aldo expressed significant dissatisfaction with his recent performance against Mario Bautista. He admitted to having avoided discussing the bout for a considerable time following what he described as “sh*tty” and inactive 15 minutes back in October at UFC 307.
Now scheduled to compete against Aiemann Zahabi on May 10th as the UFC heads to Canada for UFC 315, the former UFC and WEC featherweight king opened up about what specifically frustrated him regarding that previous fight and the adjustments he has implemented since.
Speaking in Portuguese during the UFC 315 media day on Wednesday, Aldo stated, “I focused on myself, I focused on my skills, on what I have to do best. The performance I gave in that last fight was incredibly poor, and I cannot repeat that. When people watch me fight, they expect exciting bouts, they expect me to give my absolute best, and that didn`t occur. It was a terrible fight.”
Instead of spending excessive time studying his upcoming opponent or anticipating specific attacks that might not materialize, Aldo explained that he chose to concentrate on refining his own abilities. He believes this self-focused approach is fundamental to his success, stating, “that’s how I became champion, and that’s how I should be.”
“I was angry with myself,” Aldo admitted. “I felt truly bad. It wasn`t just about the outcome, but because I know I`m capable of much more. Without taking anything away from my opponent, I know my own abilities. I am stronger, I am more skilled than Mario, and I shouldn`t have been so passive in the cage, allowing him to dictate everything. I felt awful. I couldn`t even look at myself or discuss fighting after that performance.”
He acknowledged the disappointment felt by fans, the UFC, and everyone involved. “I am paid very well to do my job,” he stated. “Regardless of winning or losing, you must perform your role effectively. I realized what I needed to change to improve for this upcoming fight. I must focus on myself, as I always did in the past. There wasn`t intense opponent study or the internet revealing every detail back then – `your opponent does this or that.` I anticipated him doing something, and nothing materialized. The referee also didn`t break things up, resulting in an incredibly dull fight, and I was furious. You need to get in there and fight! Win or lose, it doesn`t matter, but go perform the job you`re compensated for.”
Aldo had previously returned from retirement to face Jonathan Martinez and Bautista before being scheduled to fight Zahabi, a matchup that perhaps surprised fans more than his earlier comeback opponents. Aldo, however, stated he wasn`t surprised by the opponent selection and criticized highly-ranked fighters who avoid opponents positioned several spots below them.
“To become champion, whether the opponent is a big name or not, I need to go in there with my abilities and overcome them,” Aldo asserted. “The fight against Martinez was good; some expected him to dominate me due to my layoff, but I performed well. Different circumstances arose in the Mario fight, and it turned out poorly. Given my capabilities, I must perform significantly better. I need to go there and aim for a knockout. He didn`t show significant skill or powerful striking. Honestly, I saw his strikes coming, and I was just going through the motions instead of actively fighting. I cannot accept that from myself.”
He added, “I don`t blame the UFC. I feel like wine – I get better with age. I`m more explosive, more experienced, faster. That`s why I need to step in and not pick opponents, saying `I only want a big name,` or engage in a poor-quality fight like two older, out-of-shape fighters who get dropped by a single punch. That won`t happen with me.”
Aldo promised to be aggressive against Zahabi and made a subtle jab at UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, who defeated Aldo by decision in August 2022 using a strategy focused on wrestling pressure, though without securing successful takedowns.
“If I`m competing at the highest level and possess the skills to become champion, to the point where even the current champion seems hesitant to face me again because he knows our previous fight was difficult and influenced by the judges,” Aldo remarked. “Everyone is aware of my capabilities. I see it myself in training, dominating younger fighters. I must go in there and perform actively, not passively.”
