Jose Aldo – Syndication Server

UFC 301’s Jonathan Martinez believes win over Jose Aldo will ‘open a lot of doors’

Jonathan Martinez relishes the opportunity to face Jose Aldo at UFC 301.

[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag] relishes the opportunity to face [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] at UFC 301.

UFC Hall of Famer Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC) will come out of retirement to face Martinez (19-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) on May 4 at Rio Arena in Rio de Janeiro (pay-per-view, ESPN+).

With UFC 301 needing another big fight, rumors emerged of a potential fight between former champions Aldo and Dominick Cruz. Martinez admits he was surprised to get the call.

“I never thought I was going to fight Jose Aldo, but it’s a big name, and I’ll be ready for it,” Martinez told MMA Junkie Radio.

Martinez is on a six-fight winning streak, including leg-kick finishes of Cub Swanson and Adrian Yanez. Aldo isn’t currently ranked at bantamweight, but Martinez knows the value of fighting the former featherweight champion.

“It’ll help me a lot just because he’s a big name, and a win is going to open a lot of doors,” Martinez said. “That’s the way I see it.”

Martinez will have to withstand the rowdy Brazilian fans, who will be cheering for “The King of Rio.” But for Martinez, who hasn’t competed in front of a large crowd since February 2020, a booing crowd is better than no crowd.

“Honestly, I’m ready for the boos just because I’ve been fighting at the Apex for a long time,” Martinez said. “Hearing boos to me is going to feel like they’re cheering for me.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 301.

Video: Where do we fall on Jose Aldo’s typical-for-MMA short-lived retirement?

After less than two years away from MMA, former featherweight champion Jose Aldo is ending his retirement at UFC 301 in Brazil.

[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]’s retirement will wind up being a little less than two years long.

The UFC Hall of Famer and former featherweight champion is ending his MMA retirement for a home fight against [autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag] at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro on May 4.

Martinez (19-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) will make a return to MMA for Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC), who has had three boxing matches since he left the UFC. Aldo announced his retirement from MMA following a unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in August 2022.

He’s 37, and he has one of the toughest tests in the bantamweight division in Martinez, who has straight wins, including against Adrian Yanez and Cub Swanson.

Naturally, though, we’re wondering if this move is a wise one for Aldo – and perhaps even why fighters can’t seem to say they quit and stay quit. This week’s “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Matthew Wells and Mike Bohn break down the matchup and Aldo’s decision with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

Spinning Back Clique LIVE: Diaz-Masvidal boxing rematch, UFC 301’s main event, Jose Aldo’s return, Islam Makhachev speaks

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal 2, UFC 301’s headliner, the return of Jose Aldo, and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Mike Bohn, Matthew Wells and Brian “Goze” Garcia will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia, live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

[autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] will run it back in June, but this time, the rivals will meet inside a boxing ring rather than an MMA cage. The former UFC mainstays will compete independently of the organization where they made their names and, in fact, will fight on the same night as UFC 302. The name power is there for this rematch between two of the more popular MMA fighters in recent memory, but should it have been in a cage like the first meeting?
[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] has his next flyweight title challenger: [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag]. UFC 301 has its headliner, and it’s a flyweight title fight that nobody saw coming. Pantoja gets the opportunity to defend his title on home soil, but the challenger in UFC-ranked No. 10 Erceg caught many, including several peers in his division, by surprise. Is this a case of perfect timing for Erceg, or there a larger message being sent to the division?
After walking away from the UFC after his 20th fight, to an instant Hall of Fame induction while dabbling in professional boxing, former featherweight king [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] is back. At UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Aldo will return to action against Jonathan Martinez, adding some much-needed weight to a light pay-per-view event. More importantly, what should be expected of the 37-year-old Aldo in return to the UFC?
[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] crossed paths at a sports convention this past weekend. The viral moment saw the two heavyweights exchange respectful words in a face-to-face encounter. Aspinall, the heavyweight interim title holder, placed his hand on Jones’ shoulder, which prompted the UFC champ to immediately remove it before continuing with the brief interaction. You could feel the respect, and also the tension. Should the UFC change course here from Jones’ expected fight against Stipe Miocic and unify the UFC title next?
[autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] spoke to MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, hitting on several interesting topics. Among them were the reasons for wanting Dustin Poirier to be his next title challenger, his thoughts on the BMF title fight between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, and why he could not take on Leon Edwards in a champ vs. champ fight at UFC 300. What struck you the most about this interview with the UFC lightweight champion?

UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo ends retirement, meets Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in Brazil

“The King of Rio” Jose Aldo will return from retirement in his home town vs. Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in May.

“The King of Rio” will return in his home town at UFC 301 in May.

UFC Hall of Famer and former featherweight champion [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] is ending his MMA retirement and returning to competition against [autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag] on the May 4 card, which takes place at Rio Arena in Rio de Janeiro (pay-per-view, ESPN+).

Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC) and Martinez (19-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) both confirmed the matchup on social media following an initial report from AgFight.

Aldo announced his retirement from MMA following a unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in August 2022. He’s since competed in three boxing matches, but will now get back in the octagon for another fight on Brazilian soil at age 37.

He will face a tough task in the streaking Martinez, an honorable mention in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, who has five consecutive victories in the 135-pound weight class, including Adrian Yanez and Cub Swanson.

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The latest UFC 301 lineup now includes:

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Stephen Erceg – for flyweight title
Jose Aldo vs. Jonathan Martinez
Caio Borralho vs. Paul Craig
Vitor Petrino vs. Anthony Smith
Makhmud Muradov vs. Michel Pereira
Drakkar Klose vs. Joaquim Silva
Kevin Borjas vs. Alessandro Costa
Dione Barbosa vs. Ernesta Kareckaite
Joanderson Brito vs. Jack Shore
Elves Brener vs. Myktybek Orolbai
William Gomis vs. Jean Silva
Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Iasmin Lucindo

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 301.

UFC 299 title challenger Marlon Vera: Jose Aldo loss ‘best mistake of my life’

Losing to Jose Aldo was the best thing that could happen to Marlon Vera.

Losing to [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] was the best thing that could happen to [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag].

After handing Sean O’Malley his first and only career loss in August 2020, Vera got a big opportunity against former champion Aldo at the end of the year. After rallying to win Round 2, Vera was held down for all of Round 3, losing the fight by unanimous decision.

Vera (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC) says he made a costly mistake to start the final round, and was able to take very valuable lessons from that loss.

“That loss hurt me so much because watching on TV is something, but being in there, like the first round, I was calculating, I was trying to figure out his speed, I was trying to see his body shots,” Vera told Kevin Iole. “Second round, I’m 100 percent sure I won that round, and leaving the second round, at the end of the second round, he was so tired and so overwhelmed.

“I can feel his energy. He was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to lose again, man. I’m done,’ and I got so cocky and arrogant, and I made a childish mistake on just rushing around the cage and throwing a haymaker for no reason. I don’t even fight like that. That cost me the fight.”

Vera since has won five of his past six – including knockouts of former champs Frankie Edgar and Dominick Cruz. His run led to his first-career title shot, where he rematches bantamweight champion O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) in the UFC 299 headliner March 9 at Kaseya Center in Miami.

“Losing like that really hurt,” Vera said. “I went to a dark place. I was hard on myself. It was depressing … That was 1,001 percent on me. I made the biggest mistake of my life, but it was also the best mistake of my life because it taught me so much in the long run.

“That’s why you saw my career the way it turned because I was like, you have to be cautious of everything at all times. It just taught me so many things. That loss, I would say it could be the best loss of my career, and I’m not a hater. Why not (have that lesson) against a legend like Jose Aldo?”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

The 10 best body-shot stoppages in MMA, ranked

Body shots don’t get enough love because they don’t provide the visuals of a head shot, but these finishes hurt just looking at them.

It is often said that mixed martial arts is still behind the proverbial curve when it comes to striking.

Whether we’re talking about fighters lacking jabs in open-stance affairs or the way in which striking is both adjudicated and tracked in this sport, there’s still a decent amount to be desired for those who appreciate fisticuffs on the finest level.

Moreover, whether we’re talking about MMA’s top officials and judges or Gen Pop who consumes this product, there seems to be a criminal underappreciation for strikes to the body.

Despite body shots proving to be effective since the existence of organized martial arts and combat sports alike, it’s still not uncommon to see fighters allowed to take unnecessary damage en route to defeat or be awarded questionable rounds for surviving frames due to MMA’s apparent blind spot for bodywork.

This, of course, is particularly ironic considering that fighters themselves (whether they’re speaking publicly on a broadcast or are answering privately in person) revere bodywork to the point where most of them would prefer a clean headshot over a brutal body blow.

Say what you will about the striking evolution in MMA, but the fighters have been providing us with some spectacular highlights in the body shot department for some time now.

So, with that in mind, I thought it would be fun to pay homage to all forms of body strikes by revisiting my top 10 most memorable body shot stoppages in MMA.

As usual, these lists reflect my personal tastes and biases and are not meant to serve as some ultimate authority. That said, I feel very strongly about not only my list but also my honorable mentions at the end – which are more than strong enough to serve as their own top 10.

So, without further ado …

Top 5 rematches in MMA history, ranked

From UFC classics to a PRIDE FC gem, these rematches provided some of the most memorable action in the history of the sport.

When it comes to rematches in mixed martial arts, there seems to be little room for mediocrity whether we’re talking about the expectation or the result.

If the first fight captured our imaginations, then we as human beings tend to let expectations run wild when going into the second meeting. But as far as results go, MMA sequels seem to either continue to pile on the action atop the intrigue of the horror a la “Aliens,” or they just end up leaving us with that feeling we had when we walked out of “The Matrix Reloaded.”

That said, this sport has given us plenty of “Godfather 2” candidates over the years that are worth acknowledging.

So, with that in mind, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the most memorable sequels in MMA by listing my top five rematches of all time.

As usual, these lists reflect my personal tastes and are not meant to serve as some ultimate authority. That said, I feel very strongly about not only my list but also my honorable mentions at the end – which are more than strong enough to serve as their own top five.

So, without further ado …

MMA Junkie’s 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time: Full list and videos

To commemorate the UFC’s 30th anniversary, this is our definitive list of the promotion’s 30 greatest fighters of all time.

To commemorate the UFC’s 30th anniversary, MMA Junkie has compiled its definitive list of the 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time. We revealed one every day until the anniversary of UFC 1, which took place Nov. 12, 1993.

Our complete rankings, along with videos for each fighter, can be viewed below.

About the list: All 12 members of our staff submitted their own individual 30 greatest UFC fighters list. Each fighter was assigned a corresponding numerical value based on where they were ranked on an individual’s list, i.e. No. 1 = 30, No. 2 = 29, etc. We took those numbers and added them up to get a total number for each fighter to determine the composite ranking of MMA Junkie’s 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time.

30 greatest UFC fighters of all time: Jose Aldo ranked No. 6

Jose Aldo set the bar for smaller divisions with a seven-year run of featherweight dominance that makes him one of the greatest UFC fighters ever.

The UFC is celebrating its 30th year and to commemorate the milestone, MMA Junkie has compiled its 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time. Every day until the anniversary of UFC 1 on Nov. 12 (1993), we will reveal one fighter on our list.

Today, MMA Junkie Radio host Brian “Goze” Garcia brings you No. 6: [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag].

You can watch Garcia’s career retrospective on Aldo above; video produced Abbey Subhan.

Also see:

‘EA UFC 5’ rating release for best featherweights: Does anyone come close to Alexander Volkanovski?

Check out the game ratings for the top five featherweight in “EA UFC 5,” with Alexander Volkanovski being the only five-star character.

With the release of the “EA UFC 5” video game rapidly approaching, fans are wondering who the top-rated characters in each weight class will be.

MMA Junkie will have the answer to some of those unknowns, as ratings are starting to be unveiled ahead of the Oct. 27 launch (with access on Oct. 24 with purchase of the Deluxe Edition) for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

The countdown continues with the featherweight division, which is ruled by arguably the best pound-for-pound fights in the sport in [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag], but has a plethora of big names from past and present.

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Check below for a countdown of the top five rated 145-pound fighters from “EA UFC 5,” who have their striking, grappling and health come together under a five-star system to create an overall rating out of five.