UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo tearfully declared his retirement from mixed martial arts for the second time after suffering a controversial defeat at UFC 315.
The veteran fighter faced Aiemann Zahabi in a hastily arranged featherweight bout held in Montreal during the early hours of Sunday morning.
In the contest, the former dominant 145-pound champion displayed elements of his vintage form, unleashing several of the striking combinations that made him famous earlier in his career.
The 38-year-old appeared to be on track for a victory, particularly after dropping Zahabi with a brutal head kick in the third round, which he followed up with an unusual running kick to the face.
However, following a failed takedown attempt, he ended up on his back and absorbed a sustained barrage of punches and elbows for the remainder of the round, resulting in a gash on his forehead.
Surprisingly, the judges scored the fight in favor of Zahabi, with all three officials submitting identical 29-28 scorecards for the Canadian.
This contentious decision prompted an emotional Aldo to announce the end of his fighting career once again.
He stated tearfully: “I don`t believe I have the drive for this anymore. It wasn`t only the weight cut and other issues. I just felt so many things occurring. It was extremely difficult to endure all of this. At one point this week — it was a very challenging week — that I felt that I lacked the inner strength, I didn`t want to continue cutting weight.”
“My body resisted, and I simply don`t think I have it within me anymore. I don`t wish to constantly go through battles and this process. My heart isn`t in it anymore. I believe this is the last time you`re going to see me. I just can`t keep doing this.”
Video Caption: UFC star Jose Aldo chest tattoo disappears after fight
The Brazilian icon Jose Aldo is widely considered by many to be arguably the greatest featherweight fighter in UFC history.
He achieved dominance in the WEC promotion before its integration into the UFC, subsequently becoming the organization`s inaugural featherweight champion.
Aldo built an extraordinary record of 18 consecutive victories during a remarkable ten-year undefeated streak that spanned from 2005 to 2015.
His legendary run was ultimately ended by former bitter rival and two-division champion Conor McGregor, who secured a stunning 13-second knockout victory in their highly anticipated title unification bout at UFC 194.
He briefly reclaimed a version of the featherweight title in 2016 by winning the interim belt against Frankie Edgar, although he lost it to Max Holloway in June 2017.
In July 2020, his attempt to become a two-weight world champion in the bantamweight division was unsuccessful, ending in a fifth-round TKO defeat to Petr Yan.
The popular fighter concluded his storied career with a record of four wins in his final seven professional appearances.
