Coach Says Retirement Unlikely for Jose Aldo: ‘We Have to Fight’

Jose Aldo’s last days in the Ultimate Fighting Championship may have not yet arrived.

While Aldo recently asked that his UFC contract be terminated so he could retire, his coach, Andre Pederneiras, indicated in an interview with Combate that the interim featherweight champion’s request has been denied by the promotion.

"Aldo wants to do other things, but these conversations we had become clear that they will not release him to do it,” Pederneiras said. “There's nothing to do, we have to fight.”

Aldo became frustrated with the UFC after the Las Vegas-based organization booked reigning 145-pound king Conor McGregor in a lightweight title bout against Eddie Alvarez in New York on Nov. 12 (online betting). McGregor has not defended the featherweight belt since stopping Aldo in 13 seconds at UFC 194 this past December. Meanwhile, Aldo claimed interim gold with a five-round verdict against Frankie Edgar at UFC 200.

According to Pederneiras, Aldo is interested in the result of the UFC 206 showdown between Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis. The Nova Uniao star will also monitor McGregor’s next move following UFC 205. Since Aldo is required to fulfill his contract, a return in February or March 2017 has been targeted.

However, Aldo will only take a fight for a unified title, whether that means it is against McGregor himself, or that the Irishman has been stripped of the 145-pound championship to pursue bouts in other divisions.

“Aldo would not accept any other fight that was not for the [unified] belt, regardless of the opponent,” Pederneiras said. “It was what we had expected for a long time, since the fight against Frankie , when there was the possibility of Conor not return to the weight class. Aldo will accept no other fight unless it is to unify the title.”