With his recent retirement confirmed during the UFC Rio broadcast, Jose Aldo’s storied career inside the Octagon has officially drawn to a close. As the legendary Brazilian fighter laid down his gloves on home soil, he solidified his place as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. However, even as he steps away, several of his long-standing UFC featherweight records now face a credible threat from the division`s current dominant force, Alexander Volkanovski.
Jose Aldo`s Unmatched Reign: Featherweight Records Under Scrutiny
After transitioning from WEC featherweight champion to the inaugural UFC 145-pound titleholder in 2010, Jose Aldo embarked on an extraordinary period of dominance. He successfully defended his championship seven times, a feat that extended his remarkable winning streak to 18 consecutive fights. To this day, Aldo continues to hold the records for both the most consecutive and overall featherweight title defenses in UFC history.
This remarkable tenure also positioned `Junior` at the forefront of the division for championship appearances and victories. Aldo participated in an astounding 11 featherweight title fights on MMA`s biggest stage, securing victory in a record eight of those contests. His final successful title defense at 145 pounds came against Frankie Edgar at UFC 212, a year prior to his championship loss to Max Holloway at UFC 218, which marked the end of his illustrious reign in the division.
Alexander Volkanovski: The Contender Closing In on History
The most significant challenger to Jose Aldo`s status as the featherweight GOAT is undoubtedly Australia`s Alexander Volkanovski. `Alexander the Great` is rapidly approaching several of Aldo’s most prestigious divisional records, setting the stage for a potential rewriting of the history books.
Volkanovski`s recent triumph over Diego Lopes at UFC 314, which initiated his second championship reign, revitalized discussions about his potential to surpass his legendary predecessor. Currently, Volkanovski boasts five successful featherweight title defenses, placing him just two short of matching Aldo`s impressive total of seven.
Even closer within Volkanovski’s grasp is another of Aldo`s records: championship fight wins. He requires only one more victory in a featherweight title bout to tie Aldo`s eight career championship wins. While a slightly more distant goal, an additional three featherweight title fights would see the reigning champion equal Aldo`s total of 11 championship appearances. As Volkanovski continues his impactful reign, it seems less a question of if he will break these records, but rather when.
