What's next for Jose Aldo?
It's a sad truth, but having a champion not named Jose Aldo has breathed new life into the UFC's featherweight division.
Newly-crowned champion Max Holloway is young, exciting, dynamic and he has that added bonus of not having beaten all the current top 145lbs contenders like Aldo pretty much has. An impressive feat for 'Blessed' considering he's riding an 11-fight win streak and has 17 fights under the UFC banner.
Holloway hasn't fought Frankie Edgar or 'the Korean Zombie' yet, so they may be two fresh title fight match-ups to look forward to at some stage.
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Since being dethroned for the second time, Aldo has made it explicitly clear that his fighting career will continue. 'Scarface' has no fights booked and apart from that call-out from Artem Lobov, there are no real rumblings about who he might face for his return.
Enter fellow Brazilian Edson Barboza.
The elite lightweight told
ESPN that he has grown so weary of his division being held up, he would be willing to drop down to 145lbs to take on Aldo.
"I don't think that's a crazy idea. I fought a couple Muay Thai fights at 145lbs, a long time ago. I can make that weight.
"What about a superfight against Jose Aldo? Imagine that. Two Brazilian strikers. Why not? That's a fight that would get me excited. He's the best 145-pounder ever. If the UFC offered that, I would definitely sit down and think about it."
Barboza has never fought at 145lbs in his UFC tenure. He is on the cusp of a 155lbs title shot after scoring three straight wins in the promotion's most populated division. Taking on Aldo would be one hell of a way to follow up wins over Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez and Beneil Dariush.
