Featherweight champion Jose Aldo has dismissed rumours he may retire after his upcoming fight at UFC 194 with Conor McGregor, and he believes he'll defeat the Irish brawler inside the scheduled distance on Saturday.
Speaking to UFC.com (h/t MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz), Aldo made it clear he'll be back in 2016: "This won't be my last fight. I think I still have other opponents to face.”
Looking ahead to the fight, he said: "If the fight stays standing, I will knock him out. If he goes to the ground, I’ll submit him. This night will be perfect, and I will win."
On Monday, team-mate and training partner Andy Souwer told MMAPlusTV he believed the 29-year-old could step away from the Octagon after Saturday, citing his strained relationship with UFC President Dana White.
Here's footage of the interview:
Aldo has dominated the featherweight division since winning the title in 2010 and hasn't lost an MMA bout since 2005, according to ESPN.com. While he may be just 29 years old, he has already fought 26 times, and after cleaning out the featherweight division, he has little left to prove.
The Brazilian star has dominated top fighters like Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar and Urijah Faber, and should he decide to walk away from the Octagon after Saturday's fight, he would go down as one of UFC's all-time greats, regardless of the outcome. Pundits like Joe Rogan are full of praise for what he has accomplished:
On Saturday, he'll face his biggest challenge yet. McGregor has quickly risen up the ranks since making his UFC debut in 2013 and was scheduled to fight Aldo for the featherweight title at UFC 189, per ESPN.com.
Aldo dropped out of the fight due to an injury, allowing McGregor to win the interim title by knocking out Mendes in the second round. Since then, the Notorious has become one of the organisation's most popular and marketable athletes, in part thanks to his brash attitude.
The build up to this fight has been incredible, and fans and pundits alike can't wait to see whether McGregor has what it takes to beat Aldo, who has barely shown any signs of weakness during his title reign. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden is excited:
Seen a lot of fights in my day. I've never seen a promotion this strong. This McGregor vs. Aldo fight is EVERYTHING. Props to Conor #UFC194
— Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) December 8, 2015
What if Conor McGregor +Jose Aldo really do hate each other and fight TO THE PAIN on international TV? I am dying over here. Is it Saturday?
— Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) December 8, 2015
Aldo is a superb technician who does tremendous damage with his kicks and can certainly hold his own on the ground. But McGregor is no slouch either, and his movement in the Octagon and raw punching power will prove a real challenge for the champion.
Saturday's fight will rank among the most anticipated bouts in UFC history when it's all said and done, and if the fight lives up to the lofty expectations in any way, a lucrative rematch seems inevitable.
It's hard to envision Aldo walking away from such an opportunity, so expect to see him go up against McGregor again at some point in 2016.
