Former UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo lost the gold to UFC Interim Featherweight Champion Max Holloway at UFC 212.
When the Brazilian does return to the Octagon, it may come in the form of a rematch with Cub Swanson.
?I asked to fight again until November, tops, because in the past few years I?ve gone a long time without fighting and I think that hindered me a lot,? Aldo said to Combate. ?But we?re already talking to them so that we can return until November. I think we will go by the rankings. I think Cub (Swanson) is a great opponent that we can meet now in order to get back on a winning path.?
Whomever Aldo does fight upon his return, it is going to be the first time he hasn?t competed in a title match in his entire UFC run.
Even though Aldo is no longer the featherweight champion, the fans are still going to expect great fights from him.
?I think it does take some of the weight ? we can go in there and take risks, as usual,? Aldo said. ?I?ve always respected every athlete, but now we get to be the ?snipers? (term used in soccer to refer to the team that has fewer expectations of winning and, therefore, less pressure) again. We get to do great, exciting fights, which I think is what the fans expect from me.?
Aldo and Swanson met the first time nearly a decade ago in the WEC, where Aldo defeated Swanson in less than 15 seconds.