UFC bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili earned himself a unanimous decision victory over former-featherweight-champ-turned-bantamweight-contender Jose Aldo at UFC 278. As Dvalishvili revealed on The MMA Hour, Jose Aldo, a multi-decade MMA veteran, may have fought his last fight.
“When he was down and I [went] to shake his hand and tell him, ‘Thank you so much for the fight,’ and I go to respect him, he was down, and I tried to help him, and he was telling me, he said, ‘That means this is my last fight, because it was my last run to title.’ And then he said, ‘I guess I’m done.’
Dvalishvili: Jose Aldo Retired at UFC 278
It was a very emotional moment. That’s why I was talking to him. I said, ‘You’re amazing, you did so much, you don’t have anything to prove, you’re a legend – you’re a king.’ I was a little bit heartbroken.”
Dvalishvili also mentioned that he was a fan of Aldo’s, and found it difficult to see such a respected fighter consider retirement. “It’s hard when you see somebody like this.
As a fighter, I know how hard [it is]. I never want to end my career. I always want to fight. I don’t see when I should retire. But when he realized he lost, he said, ‘That was my last run to title. I guess I’m done.’ That was hard.” Aldo himself took to Instagram to reflect on the loss.
“We are the story we write. Take care of every detail of your path, every step, step or curve. Every difficulty and every achievement. He’s a better planner than you. You may even doubt him, but he will always believe in you. He put you in this world to shine. To be better every day. To smile and make people around you smile. What matters is what makes your heart beat. Don’t accept a less amazing life than you deserve. Thank you for all the affection I receive along my walk, this is priceless.Who will be in the trenches by your side? – Does it matter? – More than the war itself.”
Aldo made no reference to any plans to retire, even if this loss marked the end of his latest title charge. Aldo rode a three-fight winning streak into the Dvalishvili fight, and although Merab Dvalishvili failed to take him down a single time, Aldo found himself against the Octagon fence throughout the majority of the fight. Unable to mount any significant offense, Aldo lost the fight via decision.
Do you think this is the end of the road for Jose Aldo? Let us know in the comments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLpEjaFeRSs
