Conor McGregor acknowledged the second retirement of his former rival, Jose Aldo, following UFC 315. Their historic rivalry culminated in McGregor`s swift victory at UFC 194 in 2015, where he became the first man to defeat Aldo inside the Octagon via a memorable 13-second knockout.
Although their past was marked by intense rivalry, McGregor has often shown respect for Aldo`s impressive career achievements. After witnessing Aldo`s latest fight and subsequent retirement announcement at UFC 315 on Saturday night, McGregor shared a brief remark on his Instagram story.
McGregor`s Reaction to UFC 315 Retirement
At UFC 315 in Montreal, Jose Aldo faced Aiemann Zahabi. Despite a challenging fight week including a weight miss, Aldo competed but ultimately lost by unanimous decision. Following the bout, Aldo announced his retirement from the sport for the second time, his first retirement having occurred after a loss in 2022, which led to his 2023 induction into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Even after Aldo`s recent defeat, McGregor expressed admiration for his skill. He shared a video labeling Aldo as the `featherweight GOAT` and added his own simple caption: “Jose Aldo last night 👀👀”.
McGregor`s Past Praise for Aldo
McGregor has consistently praised Jose Aldo since their famous encounter. Despite their sometimes-tense history, the Irishman has acknowledged Aldo as arguably the greatest featherweight fighter ever. Following Aldo`s initial retirement and Hall of Fame induction, McGregor publicly stated that Aldo`s place there was “earned.” The two have even discussed the possibility of training together in the future.
Percy Harlow