mma / Columns

UFC 218: Jose Aldo’s Desperation On Display

November 29, 2017 | Posted by Jeremy Lambert

The last time we saw Jose Aldo in the Octagon, he was half conscious, watching as the UFC featherweight title was being strapped around the waist of Max Holloway.

Aldo returns to the cage on Saturday, fully conscious, ready to take that same belt from that same opponent.

Their first fight back in June was a tale of two halves. Holloway looked nervous to start. Not overwhelmed by the opponent, the environment, or the moment. Just patient, showing the greatest featherweight of all-time the proper respect. The usually active Holloway allowed Aldo to come to him, afraid of the counter-striking of his Brazilian opponent. Aldo landed a number of significant strikes to the head, almost exclusively using his hands, despite his kickboxing prowess.

Things changed in the middle of the second round, when Holloway landed two body kicks that took the air out of Aldo. From that point, Aldo started to slow, while Holloway became more confident. He started showing his opponent a lack of respect, loosening up, and trying to bait Aldo into firefights.

Holloway dropped the reigning champion halfway through the round, finishing him as the final minute ticked down. It was a career-defining moment for both men.

The biggest takeaway from that fight was Aldo’s lack of leg kicks. Previous opponents of “Blessed” had success chopping at his legs. Aldo, known for having some of the most devastating leg kicks in MMA history, threw just one kick to the legs. To Holloway’s credit, he countered that leg kick with a straight right, but it was telling that the Brazilian only threw one. Stories came out after the fight that he entered the cage with a leg injury, that affected his ability to throw kicks and his cardio.

Aldo’s health is always a mystery. He’s long been criticized for pulling out of fights or making excuses for not being 100 percent healthy every fight. Some criticisms are fair, most are Conor McGregor regurgitation.

While we don’t know how healthy Aldo is heading into Saturday’s tilt, we do know one thing: he’s hungry and willing to take a risk.

Holloway was scheduled to defend his featherweight title against Frankie Edgar at UFC 218. Three weeks prior to the event, Edgar pulled out with an injury. While Aldo made the most sense given his division dominance and name value, he had never been the type of guy who would step up on short notice. Remember, he turned down the chance to fight Conor McGregor at UFC 196, citing a lack of preparation time. While he was in training for a Dec. 16 bout against Ricardo Lamas, shortening his camp by two weeks, taking a five-round fight instead of a three-round bout, and fighting a much more dangerous opponent are not ideal circumstances for the usually calculated Aldo.

Aldo could have stayed on course. Fight, and likely defeat, Lamas. Get the title fight with a full camp.

He chose the desperate route, a route he’s never taken before.

What that means when the cage door is closed on Saturday remains to be seen. But it is a bit of insight into Aldo’s mindset right now. He doesn’t take this fight if he’s not confident and healthy. He doesn’t take this fight if he’s not willing to risk his reputation and legacy, something he cares deeply about.

Of course, none of that matters to Holloway. He sees this fight as a chance to validate his June performance. Beating Aldo once, especially in the manner that he did, was a huge accomplishment. Doing it again? Holloway firmly cements himself as a top-3 featherweight of all-time, at the age of 25.

This rematch promises to build on what happened in the first fight. Their June contest wasn’t an instant-classic MMA brawl that crowds love. It was a high-level MMA contest featuring two smart, calculated, and technical fighters playing a game of human combat chess.

We’re going to see a confident, yet still hungry, champion. A man who no longer needs to earn the respect of the man staring back at him from across the cage. Opposing him will be a desperate challenger, who might be looking at his last title shot in the division.

I’m on Twitter @jeremylambert88

article topics :

Jose Aldo, UFC 218, Jeremy Lambert