White: Aldo being ‘little ridiculous’ over request to leave UFC

Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has asked to be released from his UFC contract. Aldo’s coach Andre Pederneiras laid out the case, which included not getting an immediate rematch with McGregor, financial compensation including a lack of the informal “locker room” bonuses, and allegedly having to give up his belt to pursue a superfight.

The fighter is so adamant, he threatened to throw a fight if necessary to get out of his contract. That may lead to licensing issues.

League president Dana White has pledged to find a way to work things out. On October 19 Aldo, his manager, and his attorney are going to fly to Las Vegas to discuss his current contract.

UFC president Dana White appeared recently on FOX Sports UFC Tonight, and was asked about Aldo’s concerns, beginning with the lack of a rematch with McGregor.

“Listen, I can’t make anybody fight anybody,” said White. “I can do the best I can to put together fights, and make them happen.

“Jose Aldo and I will get together, probably next week, and we’ll talk about this. I think he’s being a little … a little ridiculous about this. I’ll get him a fight. I’ll get him a fight all day long.”

“If you look at that division, it’s stacked. Holloway’s ready, he wants to fight. Anthony Pettis is in that division now. There’s a lot of talented guys there that he can fight. I can’t make Conor McGregor fight anybody.

“And obviously everybody wants to fight him. I’m waiting for Joanna Jedrzejczyk to call out Conor McGregor next. Everybody wants to fight Conor. You probably want to fight Conor too,” said White to light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. “I don’t blame ya!”

Kenny Florian then went further with the line of questioning, asking if Aldo was upset that McGregor can jump weights and keep belts.

White uncharacteristically paused for a moment before replying. You could sum up White’s reply in five words – Jose Aldo isn’t Conor McGregor.

“Aldo never aspired to do those things,” said White. “I’m the guy that has stood in front of pretty much everybody in this sport at one time or another, and a fight had pulled out one week before, and let me tell you what – nobody acts the way Conor McGregor acts, when a fight pulls out or whatever.”

“Normally, when you have so much to lose, everybody is afraid to lose it. Nobody want to take a risk. This guy goes all in. And it’s part of the appeal and the allure of Conor McGregor. Everybody can be mad, and everybody can cry, but when you step up, and you fight the way this guy fights, and you put all your chips on the table … nobody does it.”

In February, when then lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos withdrew with injury from the fight with McGregor, White described McGregor’s reaction in an interview with Kevin Iole for Yahoo Sports.

“I swear to God, he said, ‘I’ll fight anyone.’ He just doesn’t give a f***,” said White. “People talk about this strained relationship between us and Conor, and he has a different style than I’ve ever seen, but I have never seen anyone like Conor. The closest was Chuck Liddell, but we’ve never had one like Conor. You think he’s not hurt? But when he says he’s going to fight, he’s going to fight no matter what.”

And that, White is saying, is why Conor McGregor gets opportunities no other fighter does, even an extraordinary martial artist like Jose Aldo. Whether Aldo finds the argument compelling is, of course, another story, one that hopefully resolves next week.