UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo At Least a Year Away from Testing the Lightweight Division

Jose Aldo could be described as one of the most gifted fighters in the entire MMA world, and he is universally ranked among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.

The current UFC featherweight champion has long talked about a potential move to 155lbs at some point to solidify his place as one of the best, but it appears those plans are further off than originally expected.

Once upon a time, Aldo was offered a fight at 155lbs against Kenny Florian in the UFC, but after discussing things with his coaches and manager he opted to stay at featherweight where he reigns as the current UFC champion.

Now with a bout on the horizon against Mark Hominick at UFC 129 in Toronto, Aldo’s team believes he has more work to do at 145lbs before taking the eventual leap to lightweight.

“I think that anything is possible. I think right now, he still has some work to be done at 145 pounds. He’s a few fights away from being able to say he’s cleaned out the division,” Aldo’s manager Ed Soares told MMAWeekly Radio. “I think he’s capable of doing that, and (moving to lightweight) is a potential thing that could happen.

“We could see that in a year, year and a half. He would definitely have to put on a little bit of weight and he would have to put on the weight gradually. I think it would be at least a year before we see him fight at 155.”

Soares’ statements are similar to what UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre said about his potential move to middleweight at some point down the road. Much like GSP, Aldo wants the chance to put on the extra weight the right way and adjust to the move, not just hop up to a different weight class with no real planning.

Always ready to fight, Aldo would of course accept a bout at lightweight today if the UFC came calling, but his team is looking out for his best interests and right now they lie at 145lbs.

“He’ll take the fight. He’ll do the fight regardless (of weight). I just think you’re at a level now, and the sport is at a level now, where you have to take these things seriously. These guys are professionals,” Soares commented.

“I think when the time is right and the opportunity presents itself, we’ll make the decision.”

Aldo is currently lined up to face fellow striker Mark Hominick at UFC 129, but if the Brazilian’s last few performances are any indicator he’s well on his way to being regarded as one of the top champions in all of MMA.

Aldo has a lot of goals to achieve, but his career is young and his management doesn’t want to push him along too fast and ruin something that is potentially great. Down the road however, Aldo’s future may very well be as a lightweight.

“If he keeps performing and keeps putting on the types of performances that he has put on, I do believe that we will see Jose Aldo at lightweight,” Soares said in closing.

The Nova Uniao product will train in Brazil as he readies for his official UFC debut in April in Toronto.