Karate Combat president Mike Brown revealed that the striking promotion is in talks with former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo about competing in Karate Combat.
In a recent interview, Brown stated “I’m talking to Jose Aldo, how old do I was talking to Lyoto Machida, Darren Till, Luke Rockhold, talking to I don’t wanna release that one.” He went on to say “That’s the level of names we’re speaking about. Okay? Taiwan’s fine. I could say also, but that’s the level of names.”
Aldo is considered one of the greatest featherweight fighters in MMA history. He held the WEC and UFC featherweight titles for over 6 years from 2009-2015, defending his belt 9 times. Aldo has a professional MMA record of 31-7 and is renowned for his vicious leg kicks and technical striking.
At 36 years old, Aldo is nearing the end of his storied MMA career. A move to the striking-only Karate Combat organization could extend his competitive lifespan, while still allowing him to showcase his elite karate skills.
Karate Combat features seasoned strikers competing in a pit, utilizing modified karate rules that blend the traditional martial art with combat sports. The promotion aims to attract high-level talent like Aldo by offering fight purses starting at $10,000.
If signed, Aldo would be the biggest MMA name to join Karate Combat’s roster. His signing would be a major coup for the fledgling organization and raise its profile tremendously. Aldo vs. top Karate Combat strikers like Raymond Daniels or Guts Ishimatsu would make for riveting matchups.
While nothing is finalized, Karate Combat appears poised to shake up the combat sports world by locking down the legendary Jose Aldo. It will certainly be a situation to monitor in the coming weeks and months.