Getty Conor McGregor
Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo had a fiery response to Conor McGregor’s boxing challenge this past weekend.
“The King of Rio,” who retired from mixed martial arts last year but remains under contract with the UFC, competed in his second boxing match of 2023 on Saturday night. He took on fellow UFC veteran and former opponent Jeremy Stephens during Gamebred Boxing 4. Although Aldo took out Stephens via first-round TKO inside the Octagon in 2018, their six-round boxing clash went the distance and was ruled a majority draw.
One combatant who reacted to Aldo’s contest was McGregor, the man who took The King of Rio’s featherweight strap in 2015. “Me and Aldo should box,” McGregor tweeted.
Two-time UFC title challenger Jorge Masvidal, the owner of Gamebred Boxing, responded to McGregor, tweeting: “Let’s make it happen.”
Well, Aldo sat down for the event’s post-fight press conference, and he was asked about McGregor and Masvidal’s tweets. And in short, Aldo didn’t take too kindly to the Irishman’s challenge. First, Aldo said he would “sit down” with his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, to figure out his “next step.” Then, he unloaded on McGregor.
“Conor has [a] big mouth,” Aldo said through an interpreter. “He always talks a lot of s***. He has a scheduled fight. He’s a piece of s***.
“Conor, shut your f****** mouth,” Aldo continued. “We were supposed to fight in the UFC – you ran. And now you still talk s***.
McGregor Responded to Aldo, Aldo Hopes to Box Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Aldo’s comments were met with a response from McGregor, who tweeted: “Well ok then ahaha whatever lad I was only trying to be nice. Who pissed in your açaí?” He then turned his attention to Stephens: “Me and who the f*** is that guy should box,” Notorious wrote.
McGregor recently wrapped filming “The Ultimate Fighter” opposite lightweight brute Michel Chandler. The UFC’s 31st season of the reality competition show will begin airing on May 30 via ESPN and ESPN+. Once the show runs its course, McGregor and Chandler will scrap in a presumed 170-pound clash. A date and venue have yet to be announced for Notorious’ combat sports return.
As for Aldo, he’s eyeing a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Saudia Arabia this September. McGregor knows Mayweather well as they competed in 2017 and “Money” came out on top of the boxing match via 10th-round TKO. During the presser, Aldo also expressed interest in rematching Stephens in another Gamebred Boxing tilt.
Aldo Retired From MMA After a 3-3 Bantamweight Run
The King of Rio is arguably the greatest 145-pound mixed martial artist of all time, holding both the UFC and WEC titles during his illustrious career. Before he retired from the sport, he competed at 135 pounds during a six-fight stint that spanned from 2019 to 2022.
He went 3-3 in the division, which included a TKO loss to Petr Yan when he attempted to become the bantamweight champion in 2020. His last Octagon appearance came in August when he dropped a unanimous decision to Merab Dvalishvili.
All in all, Aldo has a professional MMA record of 31-8 and he holds notable wins over the likes of former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes, Rob Font, Kenny Florian, Urijah Faber and Chan Sung Jung. Aldo will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this July during International Fight Week.