J. Aldo (photo) can defend his belt again in Rio. Photo: Disclosure/UFC
Even in the face of the cancellation of UFC 176, after the departure of José Aldo of the card and the lack of alternatives to replace the main fight of the night, the featherweight belt dispute between the Brazilian champion and the challenger Chad Mendes is maintained, and Ultimate's expectation is to hold the duel in October. However, if Aldo is unable to defend his title by the stipulated deadline, the organization is not ruling out the creation of an internal belt, as revealed by UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta.
“We have some other great challengers in Frankie Edgar e Cub swanson, who can certainly fight for some kind of interim title. We'll know more in two weeks. Aldo was recommended by his doctors to do nothing for three weeks. We're already through the first week. Let's get together in two weeks and if Aldo isn't ready to fight by October, then we'll sit down and see if we can come up with an interim title. If that is the case, as I said before, the good thing is that we have a lot of very good challengers in this weight class who could challenge Chad Mendes for an interim title”, said Fertitta, in an interview with the North American channel “FOX Sports”.
Still in the interview, the director spoke about the event for which the rematch between José Aldo e Chad Mendes be postponed. According to Fertitta, UFC Rio 5, which takes place on October 25th at Ginásio do Maracanãzinho, is the most likely fight night to host the fight for the featherweight belt. Coincidentally, the first meeting between Aldo and Mendes also took place in an edition of UFC Rio. In the second time of Ultimate in Rio de Janeiro, in January 2012, the Brazilian knocked out the North American with a knee at the end of the first round and maintained the division title up to 66 kg.
Comments