UFC legend coming out of retirement for one more fight!

 

The anticipated return match at UFC 301, according to UFC Hall of Famer José Aldo, was originally scheduled to pit him against another former champion of the organization.
UFC 301, which takes place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 4, is widely anticipated by fans mostly due to Aldo's unexpected comeback to the Octagon after a gap of more than a year and a half, where he will face bantamweight contender Jonathan Martinez, ranked number thirteen.

Martinez is currently on a six-fight win streak and will provide a massive test for the former featherweight king, but Aaron Bronsteter reports that the original plan was for Aldo to return against Dominick Cruz before “The Dominator” had to withdraw from the matchup due to injury.

It is likely to surprise seasoned fans of mixed martial arts (MMA) that a Cruz vs. Aldo bout was shelved before UFC 301. Both men are all-time greats who made their names as top competitors in the WEC before showcasing their skills in the UFC title.

After becoming the UFC's first 145-pound champion, Aldo successfully defended his featherweight championship seven times. Most recently, he shared video of his 2010 WEC title defence against Urijah Faber to remind fans of how long he has been competing at the highest level.

Aldo originally announced his retirement from fighting after Merab Dvalishvili snapped his three-fight win streak at UFC 278, but the 37-year-old made his professional boxing debut just six months later and collected two wins from his three boxing bouts last year.

It remains to be seen how many more times Aldo intends to step into the Octagon, but if the Brazilian does plan to make one more run at the bantamweight title he’ll have a huge opportunity to jump back into the divisional rankings when he takes on Martinez in the UFC 301 co-main event on May 4.