Forne fjäderviktsmästaren Jose Aldo förlorade i slutet av förra året sitt bälte i matchen mot Conor McGregor under UFC 194. Förlusten var tuff för brasilianaren, men han hävdar nu att han lagt det hela bakom sig.
Härnäst kommer han att ta sig an Frankie Edgar under UFC 200, då han vid vinst kommer att få en returmatch mot McGregor. Aldo känner dock att man inte kan jämföra de två motståndarna med varandra.
Det här berättade Aldo under presskonferensen som hölls under tisdagen:
I don’t even look at it. It’s part of the past. I only think about Frankie Edgar today and winning my next fight. I don’t look at things in the past, looking and suffering. It’s over, it’s in the past. I buried it, put a rock over it. I walk forward, always.
They are completely different. (That loss) is in the past. I look at my next opponent. I try to study and prepare the best way to fight him. … I changed, tried to mix a bit and train like I used to before. A lot of striking and grappling… I tried to mix those things. I stopped and looked back at what brought me to the top as a champion, so I decided to do exactly that. Be more aggressive and show that I really want to win the fight.
We’re fighting for a chance to get the next title shot. I wanted the immediate rematch, so this is the next step before getting my belt back.
(I want) to get my belt back. I only think about it. I want my belt back. That’s my biggest motivation. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, Frankie or whoever. What motivates me is to win the belt.
Det har nu gått 5 år sedan Aldo segrade mot Edgar via ett enhälligt domslut. Han tror dock att matchen kan bli jämnare den här gången.
We are two more experienced and skilled, well-rounded fighters, but I’m well trained. If I have the opportunity, I will finish it earlier, but I’m ready for five rounds. I didn’t see a big difference (in Edgar’s game after UFC 156). He continues to be the same thing to me. The only thing is that he’s more used to the weight cut now. He continues to do the same things, the same movement.
UFC 200 äger rum i Las Vegas den 9 juli.
