Jose Aldo, a true legend in the mixed martial arts world, has officially concluded his illustrious career in the Octagon. His retirement, announced during the UFC Rio broadcast after a final brief return in 2024, saw the Brazilian icon hang up his gloves on home soil, marking the end of one of MMA`s most storied careers. Aldo leaves behind an unparalleled legacy, particularly in the UFC featherweight division, where he holds several significant records.
Jose Aldo`s Enduring Featherweight Records
After transitioning from WEC featherweight champion to the inaugural UFC 145-pound titleholder in 2010, Jose Aldo embarked on an extraordinary reign. He amassed an impressive 18-fight winning streak, successfully defending his UFC featherweight title seven times. This achievement still stands as the record for both most consecutive and overall featherweight title defenses in UFC history.
Aldo`s dominance also extends to the sheer number of championship bouts and victories within the division. He participated in a remarkable 11 featherweight title fights on MMA`s grandest stage, emerging victorious in a record eight of them. His last defense at 145 pounds occurred in 2017, where he was defeated by Max Holloway at UFC 218. Prior to that, his final featherweight title victory was against Frankie Edgar at UFC 212.
Alexander Volkanovski`s Pursuit of History
The most prominent contender to Jose Aldo`s “Greatest of All Time” status in the featherweight division is undoubtedly Alexander Volkanovski. The Australian former champion is actively challenging Aldo`s high-profile records.
Volkanovski has a formidable record of five successful featherweight title defenses. He is currently two defenses shy of matching Aldo`s total of seven. Furthermore, Volkanovski is even closer to equaling another significant record: he needs just one more featherweight title fight win to tie Aldo`s eight championship victories in the division. While a bit further off, an additional three featherweight title fights would see “Alexander the Great” equal Aldo`s total of 11. Despite recently losing his featherweight belt, Volkanovski`s historical achievements and potential for future title contention mean his pursuit of these legendary milestones continues.