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UFC Rumors: Daniel Cormier Says Jose Aldo Not Ready to Commit Despite Stellar Return at UFC 301 – “Going to Talk to Dana”

Published 05/06/2024, 12:30 PM EDT

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UFC 301 witnessed one of the most dominating performances from 37-year-old Jose Aldo. ‘King of Rio’ took on unbeaten Jonathan Martinez in his comeback fight. However, much to the surprise of everyone, the former champion looked as sharp as ever. From landing devastating body shots to controlling the fight on the ground, Aldo displayed an array of skills against a much younger opponent.

However, this was Aldo’s last fight under the UFC contract, and he has yet to sign a new one. Like most fans, former UFC champion Daniel Cormier also looked concerned about it. However, the former champion did share the latest information regarding his situation.

Daniel Cormier hopes Jose Aldo makes a return to the Octagon

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When Jose Aldo decided to take on Jonathan Martinez in his comeback fight, most fans seemed a bit worried. After announcing his retirement from the sport in 2022, ‘Scarface’ never returned to the Octagon. However, it seemed he never stopped training for the sport he liked the most.

During his absence, Aldo made a switch to boxing, and it now seems he has added an extra layer to his game. But what’s next for the 37-year-old? Daniel Cormier, in his latest YouTube video, shared his opinion on the whole. The former champion said, “I asked him in the Octagon what’s next. What’s next for Jose Aldo? He wasn’t ready to commit.”

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‘DC’ further added, “He said he’s going to talk to Dana and Sean and Mick. Dana , Shawn and Hunter to try to see what he wants to do. But for me my hope is what comes out of that meeting is that Jose Aldo decides to continue. Because when I watch him in there I know that he still has a lot to offer to the division. Because at 37 at 135 lbs to fight in that weight is not easy.” Fans can only hope that the former champion returns to the UFC for one last time.

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Although there is no official news about his contract extension, former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen already has high hopes for the Brazilian. After the UFC 301 event, while speaking at ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, ‘The American Gangster’ predicted a title shot for Aldo next.

Chael Sonnen feels Jose Aldo might get a title shot next

Fan favorite UFC analyst Chael Sonnen might just have earned some more fans from Brazil. After Aldo’s dominating performance at UFC 301, Sonnen feels the Brazilian can get a title shot soon. During his recent interview, while speaking to Brett Okamoto, the former fighter made some serious claims. ‘Scarface’ silenced most of his critics after his dominating performance against an unbeaten Martinez. Now the 47-year-old feels ‘King of Rio’ might just get a title shot soon. He said, “I don’t hate the idea, if O’Malley gets a win over Merab, of throwing Jose in.” 

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However, he did mention that Aldo still needs to get one more victory under his belt to get a title shot. He also pointed out some of the problems ‘Scarface’ might face in getting his next fight. Sonnen added, “I’m not against it at all [Aldo vs. ‘Chito’ Vera next]… Now there is some politics involved here. Let’s see if O’Malley does what Brett’s predicting [i.e., call out Aldo after defeating Merab Dvalishvili], and I think he’s pretty likely to do that.” 

Right now, it all seems like a distant dream, as Aldo has yet to sign the contract. However, his inclusion in the bantamweight division would add to the competition in the division. Do you think he would return to the UFC and renew his contract? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Anirban Chatterjee

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Anirban Chatterjee is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. He holds an MBA in Sports Management and is an athlete himself. After stints in notable organizations as a professional writer, Anirban pivoted to covering UFC, ONE Championship, and other premier MMA promotions.
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Edited by:

Riya Singhal