Jose Aldo didn’t want to be in a main event in Brazil.
Now that statement alone is probably shocking considering Aldo’s star status in his home country where he’s headlined four past pay-per-view cards in Brazil.
Still it appears Aldo turned down a headline spot for his upcoming fight against Renato Moicano at the UFC Fight Night card in Fortaleza, Brazil, opting instead to serve as the co-main event on the card.
“He wanted to be the co-main event,” UFC president Dana White revealed when talking about Aldo at the UFC 232 post fight press conference. “He didn’t want to fight five rounds. He wanted three.”
There’s no word why Aldo preferred a three round fight to a five round fight, especially considering he’s been competing in championship bouts for so much of his career.
Aldo ultimately got his wish as his fight against Moicano will now serve as the co-headliner while a bantamweight title eliminator between Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes will be the main event on Feb. 2 in Brazil.
White says that the UFC planned on the Aldo-Moicano fight headlining the card until the former featherweight champion nixed that idea.
“I agree with you that should be the main event, five rounds, that should be the fight but he said ‘I want a three round fight’ and you don’t say no to Jose Aldo,” White revealed.
Aldo will be looking for his second win in a row after earning a stunning knockout in his last fight against Jeremy Stephens, which put him back on track following back-to-back losses to current champion Max Holloway.
Meanwhile, Moicano could secure a shot at the featherweight title if he can get past Aldo in Brazil after winning five of his six fights in the UFC including a first round submission against Cub Swanson in his most recent performance.
