José Aldo appears on Forbes magazine's list of most influential young people

J. Aldo (photo) is no longer the featherweight champion since December. Photo: Disclosure

The traditional “Forbes” magazine released its “30 under 30” list, which includes the most influential young people under 30 on the planet, and the only Brazilian representative on the list, and also the only MMA athlete, is the former featherweight champion José Aldo.

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In total, more than 600 names divided into 20 different categories. They are young entrepreneurs, creative leaders, stars and also the most relevant sportspeople. In addition to Aldo, other athletes who appear on the list are basketball player Stephen Curry, current champion and best NBA player for the Golden State Warriors, and Argentine striker Sérgio Aguero.

According to Forbes, “Aldo would be present on any coherent list of the greatest fighters in this sport. The fighter was named number 1 in the official weight-for-weight ranking. He also went a decade without losing a fight and was world champion for six years.”

Aldo took to social media to comment on the election and celebrated his presence in the illustrious relationship. “I always dreamed of being a champion in fights, winning the belt and being first in the UFC weight-for-pound rankings and even, of course, like every Brazilian, of playing football at Maracanã. Thank God, I managed to achieve all of this. But being on a list in a magazine like Forbes? I had never thought of that – and now it has also just happened. I am very, very honored to be part of the '30 under 30', a selection of the most important young entrepreneurs, creative leaders and stars in various categories, including sport. Even more so because he is the only Brazilian on the list, alongside other big names in world sport, such as Stephen Curry and Russell Wilson. Knowing that I am a positive influence on so many people in Brazil and around the world is a huge recognition of my work and my life story. I'm very grateful for this, and I'm sure this is just another sign to show that 2016 will be a year of achievements and happiness. Let’s go with everything!”, said Aldo.

At 29, José Aldo has a professional record of 25 wins and two losses. The election as one of the most influential young people on the planet came just weeks after Manauara's defeat to Conor McGregor, which culminated in the loss of the UFC featherweight title.