Jose Aldo has expressed significant displeasure with his performance against Mario Bautista. He initially avoided discussing the fight altogether, referring to the fifteen minutes of perceived inactivity in October at UFC 307 as “terrible”.
Now preparing to face Aiemann Zahabi on May 10 at UFC 315 in Canada, the former UFC and WEC featherweight champion opened up about what specifically angered him about the Bautista bout and the changes he`s implemented since.
Speaking at the UFC 315 media day on Wednesday, Aldo stated, “I focused on myself, I focused on my skills, on what I do best. The way I performed in that last fight was absolutely awful, and I simply cannot do that again. What everyone expects when they see Aldo fight are exciting matches, where I go in there and give my absolute best, and that didn`t happen. It was a terrible fight.”
Instead of spending excessive time studying his upcoming opponent and potentially anticipating specific attacks that might not materialize, Aldo has decided to concentrate on his own abilities and fundamentals. He believes this self-focus is “how I became champion, and that`s how I should be.”
“I was furious with myself,” Aldo admitted. “I felt genuinely bad about it. It wasn`t just the result, but I know I am capable of so much more. Without taking anything away from my opponent, I know my own level. I am stronger, more skilled than Mario, and I shouldn`t stand passively in the cage like that, letting him control the pace. I felt terrible, truly. I couldn`t even look at myself or talk about fighting after that performance.”
“I know the fans were upset, the UFC, everyone,” he continued. “I am paid very well to do this job. Regardless of winning or losing, you have to perform your job effectively. I realized what I needed to do to improve for this fight. I have to focus on myself, just like I always have. Back in the day, there wasn`t this intense opponent analysis, no internet telling you `your opponent does this and that.` I expected something from him, and absolutely nothing happened. The referee didn`t intervene either, and it turned into an incredibly ugly fight, and I was so angry. You have to get in there and fight! Win or lose, that doesn`t matter, but go in there and do the job you`re paid for.”
Aldo`s return from retirement saw him face Jonathan Martinez and then Bautista before the booking against Zahabi, a matchup that perhaps surprised fans more than the previous two. Aldo, however, said he wasn`t surprised by the call and took the opportunity to criticize top-ranked fighters who avoid facing opponents ranked just a few spots below them.
“For me to become champion again, whether it`s against a well-known name or not, I need to go in there with my skills and dominate them,” Aldo asserted. “The Martinez fight was excellent. Some expected him to easily defeat me due to my time away, but I delivered a great performance. Different circumstances led to that terrible outcome in the Mario fight. Given my capabilities, I must perform significantly better. I should have gone in there and knocked him out. He didn`t showcase significant skills, no heavy punches, nothing remarkable. Honestly, I saw his strikes coming and was just coasting instead of truly fighting. I cannot accept that from myself.”
“I don`t blame the UFC at all either,” he added. “I`m like fine wine; I improve with age. I`m more explosive, more experienced, faster. That`s why I need to step into the cage and fight whoever is scheduled, not pick opponents based on `big names,` or put on a disappointing display like two out-of-shape retired fighters who get hit once and fold. That is not me.”
Aldo is promising to be aggressive against Zahabi and even included a subtle jab at UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, who defeated him via decision in August 2022 with a wrestling-heavy strategy that, notably, did not result in any successful takedowns against the Brazilian.
“If I`m competing at the highest level and possess what it takes to become champion, it becomes obvious when even the current champion appears hesitant to fight because he knows how tough the first encounter was and perhaps feels the judges` scorecards favored him,” Aldo stated. “Everyone knows what I`m capable of. And I know it too from my training, where I`m performing strongly against younger fighters. I must go in there and avoid fighting in that passive, ineffective manner ever again.”
