UFC Sends Strong Message to MMA Legend After Retirement Announcement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated May 11, 2025 1:47 AM ET

Saturday night marked the end of an era in the world of mixed martial arts.

This is after UFC icon and two-time featherweight champion Jose Aldo announced his retirement shortly after his loss at UFC 315 in Montreal.

Aldo came into Saturday's fight with high hopes, only to suffer a heartbreaking unanimous decision loss to Aiemann Zahabi.

"I don't think I have it in me anymore," Aldo said after the fight, via an interpreter (h/t ESPN). "This was a very tough week that I felt that I didn't have it in me."

The UFC took to social media to send a strong message to the 38-year-old fighter after his retirement announcement.

"The King of Rio is hanging up the gloves Congratulations on a great career inside the Octagon @JoseAldoJunior " the UFC posted on X.

The King of Rio is hanging up the gloves

Congratulations on a great career inside the Octagon @JoseAldoJunior

[ #UFC315 ] pic.twitter.com/xtDfO9SOBy
— UFC (@ufc) May 11, 2025

This is Aldo's second retirement from the UFC after the Brazilian decided to call it quits in 2022. He then returned to the octagon in 2024, and Aldo marked his comeback with a decision win over Jonathan Martinez in UFC 301.

Aldo, however, lost via split decision to Mario Bautista in UFC 307 last October. Saturday's loss marked his second straight defeat in the span of seven months.

Aldo, who made his UFC debut in April 2011, holds a professional record of 32 wins and 10 losses. He previously set the record for the most title defenses in UFC history with seven. Aldo was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.

While Aldo has come out of retirement in the past, it just feels like this one has a sense of finality to it.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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