Former UFC double champion Conor McGregor thinks fans need to give veterans like José Aldo more credit and not forget their prowess.
McGregor and Aldo have come a long way since their heated buildup to their featherweight title fight at UFC 194. The two former featherweight champions were once as hostile as it gets with one another but have become cordial in recent years.
Aldo has experienced a new chapter in his MMA career down at bantamweight with recent impressive wins over Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font at 135 pounds. He could be on the verge of another bantamweight title shot despite having lost to Petr Yan for the then-vacant belt at UFC 251.
McGregor is hoping for a bounceback of his own later this year in his Octagon return. He's targeting a welterweight title shot against Kamaru Usman for his next fight if Usman can successfully defend his belt against Leon Edwards.
Like Aldo, some have downplayed the idea that McGregor can still compete for UFC championships. During a recent interview with TheMacLife, McGregor praised Aldo for his recent successes despite some writing him off in the past.
"The game is very forgetful..." McGregor said. "The disrespect Aldo received, for example, and people saying people are done. If you look at Glover Teixeira, who's now a UFC champion, it's important to just block out that noise because it's dribble. It's never what it is, and I'm very happy for José and seeing what he's been doing, and I look forward to having the exact same thing myself."
McGregor lost back-to-back fights to Dustin Poirier in 2021 via stoppages, with the latest coming after he suffered a horrific leg break at UFC 264. He's looking to recapture the magic he sustained after becoming a two-division UFC champion with wins over Aldo and Eddie Alvarez.
Aldo has hinted at a potential matchup with TJ Dillashaw for his next UFC outing, although it's unclear when Dillashaw will return from his knee injury. McGregor and Aldo were once the bitterest of rivals inside the Octagon, but have appeared to squash their beef as both look to reclaim UFC gold.
Do you agree with Conor McGregor regarding José Aldo?