Former UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo is less than a week away from challenging Max Holloway for the gold at UFC 218.
Conor McGregor is the UFC Lightweight Champion and Aldo believes his former opponent needs to defend or vacate the lightweight strap.
“Thank God my division is moving. It would be bad if it was stuck, but my division is moving,” Aldo said at a media event in Brazil. “It’s hard, right? Every athlete dreams of becoming champion, fighting for the title, and the guy is holding up the division. But it’s up to the UFC to make the decisions. The UFC needs to do what has to be done: you take the belt away or make him defend it. I think everyone is waiting for that.”
McGregor hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since defeating Eddie Alvarez to win the lightweight title at UFC 205 last November.
Tony Ferguson is the current UFC Interim Lightweight Champion and Aldo believes he has a great shot to defeat McGregor.
“Yes, this time is coming,” Aldo said. “He has to defend it, has to put his belt on the line in order to become champion. He only won the title. For me, Ferguson has great possibilities of becoming champion in the future.”
UFC 218 takes place on Saturday, December 2 from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan with Max Holloway and Jose Aldo headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
