The UFC has changed, and so has Jose Aldo. Winning a world title isn’t everything, and the promotion now puts an emphasis on big money fights.
This became evident when Conor McGregor was granted an immediate rematch with Nate Diaz instead of defending his UFC featherweight title. McGregor, who lost the first fight to Diaz at UFC 196, avenged the loss at UFC 202 and walked away with a majority decision. The blockbuster pay-per-view is estimated to have smashed box office records and set a new high for a non-boxing spectacle.
Meanwhile, Aldo was busy winning the interim 145-pound championship after beating Frankie Edgar at UFC 200.