Longtime UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo may transition to professional boxing after all.
There were reports that Aldo was in talks with Hardcore FC to make a professional boxing debut there but the tides appear to have turned.
After almost 20 years in combat sports, Aldo made his formal exit from mixed martial arts in September.
Aldo will enter the squared circle for the first time at the age of 36.
Aldo will make his boxing debut on February 10 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s Upper Arena. Information about the event, including the opponent, the number of rounds, and the weight class, has yet to be made public.
Aldo began boxing training before he retired from his MMA career. He has previously spoken about the potential of boxing, referring to it as a dream he has always wished to realize.
Aldo spoke on the podcast Trocação Franca.
He said: “It was always a dream I had in my life, I never hid that from anyone. It was always a dream. But let’s see. Everybody says I’m still young, that I have a few years [left].”
With a final record of 31-8, Jose retired from mixed martial arts. Aldo was just 23 years old when he won the WEC featherweight championship in 2009. After the WEC was acquired by the UFC a year later, Aldo became the first 145-pound champion in the new organization.
Before losing to Conor McGregor in the opening round of UFC 194, he successfully defended the title nine times. McGregor was Aldo’s first defeat in over a decade.
Aldo would later go on to win over Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 and reclaim the featherweight title.
Aldo won matches against some of the best names in the featherweight and bantamweight categories. This includes Urijah Faber, Kenny Florian, Chad Mendes, Marlon Vera, and Rob Font.