Jose Aldo drops huge hint that he will retire after UFC 278 defeat

Jose Aldo’s UFC 278 opponent Merab Dvalishvili has revealed the Brazilian suggested to him that he will soon retire from MMA.

Heading into UFC 278 last weekend, Jose Aldo was riding an impressive three-fight win streak as he attempted to move one step closer to another crack at the UFC bantamweight championship. Unfortunately for the King of Rio, Merab Dvalishvili had other plans as he managed to grind his way to a decision win over the veteran.

Many fans were upset at Aldo’s inability to really let his hands go and pull the trigger, whereas others felt as if he did everything he could given the style of opponent he was faced with.

Whatever the case may be, nothing will change the record books – regardless of how badly some may wish it had gone differently.

There are plenty of questions circulating regarding what’s next for Aldo but according to Dvalishvili, the 35-year-old may be favouring the idea of retirement.

“When he was down and I [went] to shake his hand and tell him, ‘Thank you so much for the fight,’ and I go to respect him, he was down, and I tried to help him, and he was telling me, he said, ‘That means this is my last fight, because it was my last run to title,’” Dvalishvili said. “And then he said, ‘I guess I’m done.’

“It was a very emotional moment. That’s why I was talking to him. I said, ‘You’re amazing, you did so much, you don’t have anything to prove, you’re a legend – you’re a king.’ I was a little bit heartbroken.”

#UFC278 may have been the last time we see the legendary @josealdojunior step into that Octagon