Aldo plans career in football after leaving MMA: 'I want to do new things'

Aldo is the interim UFC featherweight champion. Photo: Inovafoto

Current interim UFC featherweight champion, José Aldo appears to be sure of his decision to leave MMA competitions. The Brazilian is already planning a career outside the world of fighting and imagines himself working in football, which he considers his true passion.

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Aldo announced that he intends to abandon MMA last week, when he once again found himself frustrated in his attempts to obtain the desired rematch with Conor McGregor. The UFC, instead of marrying the fight to unify the two featherweight belts, pitted the Irishman against Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title at UFC 205.

The Brazilian, then, sees what happened as an opportunity to act in what he considers his true passion. “I don’t even think I’ll continue fighting. For me, if I had the opportunity, I would work in football, which is something I love. Since I was born, I always dreamed of being a football player. Today, I don't know, I don't think I'm old enough to play, I don't have experience. I have, thank God, an aptitude for playing sports and I can work with that. On the sports side or on the other side as well. Only the future will tell that,” he said, in an interview with the “SporTV” channel.

Aldo insisted that his departure from the UFC would also represent the end of his career in MMA, as he does not intend to sign with any other organization. “The only good thing I want is for him [Dana White, UFC president] to release me. I don't want to fight in another event. I'm on a higher level. There is no reason to leave a Series A championship to compete in Series B. Since I am well valued where I am. I won't take a step back. I don't want to fight anymore. I want to follow my path in other sports, do new things. I'm a new guy, I want to enjoy this side too. I’m not mad at the UFC, I like Dana, everyone, I hope they release me and I go my way,” he clarified.

At 30 years old, Aldo is coming off a victory over Frankie Edgar at UFC 200, a fight in which he won the interim belt in the 66 kg division. Despite his request, White stated that he does not intend to release the Brazilian from his contract.

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