Jose Aldo

Former longtime UFC and WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, 36, has retired from the UFC, his team told ESPN on Sunday.

Before a loss to [Merab Dvalishvili](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3948572/merab-dvalishvili) at UFC 278 last month, Aldo was on a three-fight winning streak and closing in on another title shot. [Urijah Faber](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2335682/urijah-faber) and [Frankie Edgar](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2335694/frankie-edgar). Aldo (31-8) is arguably one of the top five fighters ever in mixed martial arts and easily within the top 10. Aldo's retirement alone would not get him out of his UFC contract, which would be frozen in that instance. The UFC has yet to comment on Aldo's contract status. He also owns career wins over [Marlon Vera](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3155424/marlon-vera), [Chad Mendes](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2504172/chad-mendes) (twice), [Kenny Florian](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2335675/kenny-florian), [Cub Swanson](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2354087/cub-swanson) and [Mike Brown](http://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2500733/mike-brown).

'Featherweight GOAT': All-time UFC great retires after legendary career.

The two-time featherweight champion as well as interim champion’s last defeat was to Merab Dvalishvili in August. He eventually lost the title to Conor McGregor 2015 in a 13-second knockout, his first ever loss at featherweight. His UFC release likely sets him up to try his hand at boxing, something he has shown an interest in for many years.

Jose Aldo is done with MMA. The 36-year-old was granted his release from his UFC contract with his coach, Andres Pederneiras, expecting it to mark the end ...

The "King of Rio" had one of the best runs in all of MMA when he burst on the scene with WEC in 2008. Aldo has yet to release a statement on the matter, though [he posted a picture](https://twitter.com/josealdojunior/status/1571564618694148096) of he and his wife celebrating the birth of their child on social media. A pair of TKO losses to Max Holloway followed.

Former UFC champion Jose Aldo has called it a career, causing many in the MMA community to take a trip down memory lane.

Thanks for the lifetime of inspiration and staying true to who you are. You’ve been my favorite fighter since I was teenager Ive always looked up to your fighting style, story and how you over came everything. Always a professional & a bona fide legend. [@josealdojunior]fights again, it's always the right time to appreciate his greatness. It’s that he didn’t let the 2015 loss to McGregor define him. A poor kid from the favela laughing endearingly at the absurdity that is suit shopping. Even when he began to decline, he continued to be competitive at the top of the bantamweight division for years. Congrats to a true legend of the sport. A deadly combo of speed and skills far ahead of his time. One of the best to ever do it. Te disse da última vez que a gente se encontrou no aeroporto e repito agora: o mundo é todo seu. One of the GOATS of MMA.

Between Roger Federer & Sebastian Vettel, 2022 has been the year for sporting greats to retire. Today, this cohort welcomes Jose Aldo.

3 x decisions) 13 x decisions) 1 x submission Along the way, he’d encounter such monstrous talent as Max Holloway (twice), current pound-for-pound king Alexander Volkanovski, Marlon Moraes, and Petr Yan. But despite the unanimous decision victories he’s recorded against the likes of Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font, Father Time remains undefeated. Today, this revered cohort welcomes 36-year-old Jose Aldo, who has officially been granted a a contract release by the UFC.

Former two-time UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo welcomed his second child on Sunday. His wife, Vivianne Perreira, gave birth to Jose Aldo III.

In his first title reign, “The King of Rio” defended the championship seven consecutive times. And here we are diving in a sea of immeasurable Love! It feels like the first time, and we’re here with open arms to give you all the love in the world.

He retires with a record of 31-8, which includes a 13-7 UFC mark and two reigns as the promotion's featherweight champion. During his first reign at 145 pounds, ...

[@josealdojunior] [https://t.co/hHyTS9oTAb] [September 18, 2022] Even when he began to decline, he continued to be competitive at the top of the bantamweight division for years. [@josealdojunior] [https://t.co/UyUsp9qO3w] [September 18, 2022] He will forever be the greatest featherweight ever and should be on your shortlist for the greatest MMA fighters of all-time— José Youngs (@JoseYoungs) A deadly combo of speed and skills far ahead of his time. One of the best to ever do it. One of the GOATS of MMA. [@josealdojunior] [https://t.co/DcPlSLKTsx] [September 18, 2022] [@josealdojunior] [https://t.co/RznvKYKI37] [September 18, 2022] I was looking forward to the challenge & crazy atmosphere.— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) I spent a whole camp training to fight Jose Aldo in Brazil, but COVID changed everything. Aldo, 36, is widely regarded as the best featherweight of all time, a pound-for-pound great, and a pioneer among the lighter weight classes.

His final fight came last month when he lost a unanimous decision to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278. He was due to have one more fight with the UFC, ...

Whether Aldo steps away from all combat sports for good remains to be seen. Jose Aldo has decided to retire from MMA after a dazzling 18-year career in the sport He was due to have one more fight with the UFC, but he has decided to end his Octagon career now and walk away from the sport that he has dazzled in for the last 18 years, with the UFC announcing the news on Sunday.

Former WEC and UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has retired after his 20th fight in the UFC and 18th consecutive year competing in mixed martial arts.

A deadly combo of speed and skills far ahead of his time. One of the best to ever do it. One of the GOATS of MMA. [@josealdojunior] [https://t.co/RznvKYKI37] [September 18, 2022] I was looking forward to the challenge & crazy atmosphere.— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) I spent a whole camp training to fight Jose Aldo in Brazil, but COVID changed everything.

Jose Aldo, one of the greatest fighters to ever compete in UFC, is retiring from the world of mixed martial arts. The 36-year-old and UFC have agreed to ...

6-ranked bantamweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. He lost the featherweight title to Conor McGregor in 2015, but managed to regain it by defeating Frankie Edgar for the interim belt. The ending comes as somewhat of a surprise to many, as the Brazilian had competed in MMA for more than 18 years. He retires as the No. My biggest fear is when an athlete gets to the final stage of his career and an injury can ruin him for the rest of his life." The termination means the man known as 'Scarface' can compete in other sports, like boxing.

As the King of Rio calls time on his glittering career, we can reflect on his legacy and achievements as a whole. He is destined for the Hall of Fame.

At 36, he walks away with 39 professional bouts to his name and the CV of a fighter far older. Long live The King of Rio. He continued: 'When I went to live in the favela I heard a lot of gun shots every day and night – something I’d never heard before. Two defeats at the hands of Max Holloway were followed by wins over Renato Moicano and Jeremy Stevens. 'I would go to school at night to try and save the money to buy a ticket to Rio. Kenny Florian, Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, Chan Sung Jung and Ricardo Lamas were among the big names to fall short as Aldo defended his featherweight crown again and again. His first love was football but his harsh surroundings and constant beatings on the street inspired him to learn how to defend himself. 'I left my home and my town to chase a dream. I said I would only go back to Manaus when I was successful.' Aldo was one of MMA's great champion and rose from the favela to accomplish his dreams Seven defences in succession elevated Aldo to the top of the sport and he was unquestionably among the UFC's biggest stars. Aldo was the first featherweight champion in the UFC and defended his belt seven times