Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo returned to his winning ways with a first-round stoppage victory over Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night on Saturday.
Aldo showed his vintage form at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary by stopping Stephens at 4:19 of the first round, snapping a two-fight losing streak and renewing his chance to fight for the title again.
After a tentative start, both fighters finally got into it with Stephens landing some hard punches that rattled Aldo, the No. 2 ranked featherweight in the UFC.
Aldo then found his range, hitting Stephen with some hard blows that opened a cut under his eye. Stephens tried to fight back, but Aldo send him to the canvas with a brutal left punch to the liver.
Stephen tried to parry Aldo's attack, but he turned and gave up his back. Then, referee Yves Lavigne stopped the fight to prevent Aldo from inflicting further damage on Stephens. The victory improved Aldo's record to 27-4. Stephens, ranked No. 4, slipped to 28-15.
Aldo To Contemplate Next Fight
After the fight, Aldo said he will spend some time with his family before contemplating his next fight.
"It's enough time for me to rest a little bit. The big thing is to get back home, rest a little bit, and figure out where we go from here," says Aldo, who dominated the featherweight division from 2010 to 2015.
However, Aldo's career turned for the worse when he suffered a 13-second first-round loss to Conor McGregor in 2015. Aldo edged Frankie Edgar with a five-round decision victory at UFC 200, but he lost two title fights to Max Holloway at UFC 212 and UFC 218.
Aldo said he's willing to be a part of the UFC 231 card, which will be held on Dec. 8 in Toronto, Canada, where he defeated Mark Hominick in his Octagon debut at UFC 129.
"It is a very good option," said Aldo, who could face No. 1 contender Brian Ortega or Cub Swanson in his next fight. Currently, Holloway is out due to concussion-like symptoms and UFC president Dana White says he's unsure when the champion will return.
Aldo Wants Title Fight Before UFC Contract Ends
Aldo hopes that his impressive win over Stephens is enough to convince the UFC to give him a title shot before his contract expires. Aldo has three fights remaining in his UFC deal.
"I think the performance was good enough to catch the eyes of the matchmakers again, and show that I do belong here," said Aldo. The Brazilian claimed that he's a top fighter in the featherweight division and he deserves a title shot before his tenure ends.
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