UFC
Israel Adesanya Pays Tribute To ‘Legend’ Jose Aldo Following Retirement At UFC 315
Cai is a news and features writer that specialises in football, but has experience covering a variety of other sports, including darts, basketball, American football, MMA, boxing and more. He holds a degree in Football Journalism (BA Hons) from the University of Derby, and worked with Nottingham Forest FC and Burton Albion FC throughout his studies. Cai also has experience working in social media with the Football Association of Wales, where he worked on a freelance basis, and has also been an accredited writer in the JD Cymru Premier for both Y Clwb Pêl-Droed and welshfootie since the 2019/20 season.
Get to know Cai Parry betterPublished12 May 2025
Israel Adesanya paid tribute to Jose Aldo following confirmation of his retirement at UFC 315, describing the Brazilian as a ‘legend’ and the ‘King of Rio’.
Former two-time UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo announced his retirement from mixed martial arts after suffering defeat to Aieman Zahabi via unanimous decision at UFC 315 in Montreal, Canada, on Saturday evening.
Jose Aldo has announced his retirement from MMA after #UFC315.
One of the greatest of all time 👏 pic.twitter.com/5j5js5ZPEE
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 11, 2025
The 38-year-old has called a day on his career for a second time, having previously retired in September 2022 before returning in May 2024, with his final MMA record standing at 32 wins and 10 losses.
“I don’t think I have it in me anymore,” Aldo said in the aftermath of his defeat.
“This was a very tough week that I felt that I didn’t have it in me.”
He continued: “I don’t want to go into war all the time and go through all this. I just don’t have it in my heart anymore. I think this is the last time you’re going to see me. I can’t do this anymore.”
Israel Adesanya, who, like Aldo, is a former two-time UFC champion, provided his live reaction to Junior’s retirement on his official YouTube channel, dubbing the Brazilian a ‘legend’ and naming him the ‘King of Rio’.
Israel Adesanya Reacts To Jose Aldo Retirement Post-UFC 315
Adesanya’s live reaction to UFC 315 pulled in plenty of viewers, and after sharing his delight at fellow Oceanic fighter Jack Della Maddalena being crowned the new UFC Welterweight Champion after beating Belal Muhammad in the main event, ‘The Last Stylebender’ took a moment to pay tribute to Aldo following the announcement of his retirement.
“A guy like that, he doesn’t have anything else to prove, so I respect it,” Adesanya told spectators.
“Bro, he is the f***ing man. The King of Rio. One of the best fighters in history ever. One of the best [and] longest reigns ever as a champion. What a lad. What a legend.”