José Aldo admits he planned to push Chad Mendes to promote fight

Aldo and Mendes face each other at a promotional event for UFC 179. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube

In the world of combat sports, whenever something goes out of the ordinary between two athletes who are going to face each other, a return in viewership is usually guaranteed. The method, despite being ethically questionable, has almost always positive returns in terms of appeal to the public – see the growing furore over Jon Jones x Daniel Cormier after the pair's fight at a press conference. And it was precisely this impact on the promotion of combat that weighed in the decision to José Aldo push Chad Mendes during an event at Maracanã this Tuesday (26), as revealed by the fighter himself.

“We had already met at the gym, to try to warm up the fight. I think it's part of it. It’s the show”, said the featherweight champion during a conversation with the press in São Paulo (SP). “We did that, it was good. I think today everyone wanted to know about that, what had happened. But there’s also the downside, that anyone who doesn’t understand MMA can say it was a fight,” he added.

Despite recognizing that it was a premeditated attitude, the Brazilian expressed regret for what happened and assured that this type of animosity will not be the focus from now until the day of the fight. “Afterwards, I saw that it didn’t belong to me. He stayed behind. The important thing is the fight”, commented Aldo. “For my part, (I overstepped) yes. I've debated on the internet with several opponents, but I've never pushed or done anything like that. So it's better to behave the way I am, without promoting. Better to keep it as I am, with my feet on the ground,” he concluded.

On October 25th, in the main fight of UFC 179, José Aldo rematch for the featherweight belt against Chad Mendes – whom he already beat in 2012, also in Rio. In the co-main event of the night, the former light heavyweight title challenger Glover Teixeira faces the North American Phil Davis. Tickets for the fight night's grandstand section were already sold out on the first day of sales.