UFC legend Jose Aldo looks to have stepped into the cage for the last time after announcing his retirement following a loss to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315 in Montreal.
The 38-year-old Brazilian went down via unanimous decision (29-28 x3), although he showed glimpses of his best, lighting up Zahabi with some sharp hands and terrifying kicks.
Zahabi did well to weather the storm early in the final round before turning the tables on an exhausted Aldo, who was looking up at the clock and shooting for a takedown with three minutes to go.
MORE: All the results and highlights from UFC 315
The former long-reigning featherweight champion ended the fight on his back and eating a barrage of damaging elbows.
Just making it to the cage was a challenge for Aldo, who was reportedly eight pounds overweight before being told by doctors to stop cutting, seeing the UFC renegotiate with the fighters and the bout being moved from bantamweight to featherweight.
After the decision, Aldo took his gloves off and left them on the octagon floor.
“Thank you to Dana [White], to Sean [Shelby], to Lorenzo Fertitta, to everybody in the UFC, thank you for everything that you have given me,” Aldo said via interpreter.
“I don’t think I have it in me anymore.
“This was a tough week, it wasn’t just about the cutting of the weight.
“There were so many things that happened, it was very tough to go through all this.
“There was one point this week, that I felt that I didn’t have it in me, I didn’t want to cut it anymore, my body said, ‘No.’
“I just don’t think I have it anymore, I don’t want to go into war and go through this. I just don’t have it in my heart anymore.
“I think this is the last time you’re going to see me, I can’t do this.”
If it is the end, Aldo walks away already a member of the UFC Hall of Fame following his 2023 induction.
A champion in WEC and the UFC, Aldo was undefeated for close to a decade before his 2015 loss to Conor McGregor, claiming banner wins over Chad Mendes (x2), Frankie Edgar (x2), Kenny Florian and Urijah Faber, among others on a 32-9 record.
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