Defining Fights: UFC 251’s Jose Aldo

MMA Junkie’s Simon Head takes a look back through the fights that helped define the career of two-time former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

Urijah Faber at WEC 44 – April 24, 2010

Aldo captured the WEC featherweight strap with a second-round finish of Brown to set up a clash with the WEC’s biggest star, former featherweight champion Urijah Faber.

“The California Kid” was expected to push Aldo to the limit, but the Brazilian had Faber’s number throughout the five-round fight, utilizing a constant barrage of leg kicks to stop Faber’s wrestling at source during a punishing encounter.

Aldo landed an incredible 32 leg kicks throughout the fight, sending Faber to the canvas on multiple occasions with his powerful leg strikes. Those kicks laid the foundation for a dominant performance, and Aldo earned scores of 50-45, 49-46, 49-45 to register the first successful defense of his WEC title.

Next up: Debuting on the biggest of stages