Play us a different tune, Jose.
Despite the fact that he’s taking on the very dangerous Frankie Edgar for the interim belt at UFC 200, Jose Aldo still can’t seem to stop talking about Conor McGregor.
The former champion has maintained his stance that the Celtic cross that rendered him unconscious at UFC 194 was nothing more than a lucky shot. He explained to ESPN that he could easily have won the fight if the punch he threw landed a little lower.
“Obviously, there was luck involved. He was lucky to get that shot in right away. If my punch would have landed a little lower, then he would have been the one on the mat. So, there was definitely luck involved.”
Aldo admitted that he wasn’t happy when it was announced that McGregor would be getting a do-over against Nate Diaz for the landmark UFC 200 event considering he had been campaigning for a rematch against the Notorious. Scarface feels that it was disrespectful for him the UFC not to give him what he wanted because of what he has achieved throughout his storied career.
“Obviously, I’m not happy that I didn’t get a rematch. It’s disrespectful due to everything I’ve done. I’m deserving of a rematch, and it’s not just me who says that. Everyone has been coming up to me, asking when the rematch is going to happen. But I’m an employee for the UFC, and this is what they decided. What can I do?”
“Conor is going to have to come back [to the division] to fight me. I expect that. Everybody expects that.”
Aldo was offered his second crack at McGregor when Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of UFC 196’s main event with a leg injury. The Brazilian featherweight obviously turned down the late notice opportunity and instead Nate Diaz stepped in and handed the Dubliner his first UFC defeat. Aldo explained he has no regrets over his decision to refuse the UFC’s offer.
“The fight I turned down, I was traveling and doing charity work. After being the champion for so long, I deserve the respect of having a fight set and not fighting on one week’s notice. I’m not a guy who just fills in to save an event. I was the champion for a long time.”
“Like I’ve been saying, by the end of the year, the belt will be mine again and he’ll go back to being what he was — which is nothing.”
