Jose Aldo on Retirement, UFC 315 Weight Cut & Zahabi Fight Reflections

In a revealing sit-down on The Ariel Helwani Show, Jose Aldo opened up about what really led to his unexpected retirement following UFC 315. After a razor-thin decision win over Aiemann Zahabi, the former featherweight champ admitted that a brutal weight cut nearly pulled him from the fight altogether.

Aldo looked back on the performance itself and whether he felt he deserved the nod. Though opinions were mixed, he made it clear the result wasn’t the deciding factor—just more confirmation of what he’d already been feeling about the end of his fighting career.

With over a decade at the top, Aldo says he’s ready to focus on family and life outside the cage. Before stepping away for good, he shares one final honest reflection on why now felt like the right time to let go.