In a surprising turn of events, Jose Aldo’s bantamweight run may have reached its conclusion after the former UFC and WEC champion failed to meet the 136-pound weight limit for his highly anticipated fight against Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315 in Montreal. Scheduled for a three-round bantamweight contest, the Brazilian fighter stepped on the scale and weighed in at a staggering 143 pounds on Friday morning, leaving fans and analysts questioning the future of his career.
Following Aldo's weigh-in, Aiemann Zahabi also weighed in, coming in slightly lighter than Aldo. In light of the weight discrepancy, the UFC swiftly announced that the bout would be reclassified as a featherweight contest. This decision marks a significant shift for Aldo, who indicated during the ceremony that he may be considering a return to featherweight for upcoming fights.
During an interview on the Brazilian UFC 315 weigh-in show, Aldo shared his thoughts on the situation, stating, “I was talking to ‘Dede’ about it,” referring to his long-time coach and manager, Andre Pederneiras. “I’ve forced too much on this weight. I’ve always weighed around 158 pounds, so I was never as heavy as these featherweights are today, cutting from 176 pounds or higher. There was no problem for me making 135, but I think I’ve reached a point in my career that it makes no sense to keep forcing the cut and taking fight after fight.”
Aldo further emphasized his passion for fighting, stating, “I love fighting; this is what I like doing, but it’s best to do it at featherweight. But first I gotta think about tomorrow, on Zahabi. I have to go in there and win, and then we’ll see where I go.” This statement reflects Aldo's commitment to the upcoming fight while also considering his long-term future in the sport.
Aiemann Zahabi, on the other hand, recounted his experience regarding the weight cut process. Speaking to SportsNet, he mentioned that he was less than a pound away from making weight when the UFC informed his team that Aldo could not make the limit. “So I was cutting my weight, and I just got into the blankets this morning, and I was 136.8 pounds,” Zahabi explained. “Firas Zahabi was receiving the text and the calls to stop cutting. ‘Jose can’t make weight, he’s 145 pounds. There’s no way he’s going to make the weight,’ and the commission won’t allow, in Montreal, a five-pound weight difference.”
In contrast, Aldo provided a different account regarding his weight situation, stating he was slightly over 63 kg (or 139 pounds) when he consulted with Pederneiras about not cutting the final three pounds. “It was all going well at bantamweight, I was hitting the target on a daily basis and cutting weight well, but it was my mistake,” Aldo said. “I couldn’t reach a certain point, so I talked to ‘Dede’ and found it was best to do this fight — I was almost at 139 pounds, so I had already worked all night, and in the morning, I spoke to ‘Dede’ and he talked to Sean Shelby at 6 a.m., if I’m not mistaken. They talked to Zahabi if he would take it, and he did, so it was then booked for featherweight.”
As Aldo prepares for his matchup against Zahabi, fans are left to ponder what this means for the future of his career. Will he truly transition back to featherweight after this bout? Or will Aldo attempt to re-establish himself in the bantamweight division? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: Aldo's legacy in mixed martial arts remains secure, and his next steps will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike.
