The debate surrounding what it takes to survive and thrive in the upper echelons of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has reached a boiling point, fueled by a fiery war of words between a legendary former champion and one of the division’s most polarizing undefeated contenders.
Movsar Evloev recently credited "good fans who know MMA" as the driving force behind his continued tenure with the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. Despite boasting a pristine record inside the Octagon, the Russian contender has achieved a rare feat in modern combat sports: a double-digit winning streak completely devoid of a single finish. While Evloev maintains that true connoisseurs of the sport appreciate his tactical approach, MMA legend Jose Aldo views the situation through an entirely different lens. In the eyes of the former 145-pound king, Evloev might well be operating on borrowed time, and a future outside of the organization could be closer than the contender thinks.
In fact, the Brazilian icon admitted he would actively defend a decision by the UFC brass to release Evloev due to his historically "boring" fighting style. Evloev currently sits at 10-0 under the UFC banner, with every single one of those victories coming by way of the judges’ scorecards. His most recent outing culminated in a hard-fought majority decision win over Lerone Murphy back in March. This Saturday, Evloev is scheduled to step into the spotlight for the biggest opportunity of his career, challenging former champion Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. Despite the high stakes and the undisputed title implications surrounding the matchup, Aldo confessed that the undefeated contender simply fails to capture his interest as a spectator. Instead, the veteran striker would much rather invest his time watching dynamic, high-paced offensive fighters like Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway, who consistently look to put their opponents away.
The business side of mixed martial arts, Aldo argues, extends far beyond a strict adherence to divisional rankings. Speaking candidly in an interview with MMA Fighting, the former featherweight champion emphasized that the UFC operates first and foremost as an entertainment enterprise rather than a pure sporting league governed solely by a meritocracy.
"The UFC isn’t just an organization that has to follow a ranking system," Aldo said. "It’s a business, it’s entertainment. It’s not a matter of, ‘I’m number one, so I have to fight for the title.’ No. Evloev is ranked No. 1 in the division, if I’m not mistaken, and if I were the president, I’d never put him in there. He could beat everybody. I’d wait for him to lose for the first time and then cut him because he’s a guy who doesn’t sell, a guy who puts on boring fights, a guy who doesn’t draw attention, who just stays inactive. So why would I give him that opportunity? I want to sell out my arena. I want my event to grow. There’s a lot involved."
Over the past few years, the promotion’s matchmaking philosophy has become a frequent topic of industry-wide discussion. Observers have noted an apparent shift toward signing and retaining athletes who embrace a high-risk, high-reward fighting style—those willing to stand in the center of the Octagon, trade heavy leather, and chase highlight-reel finishes. For Aldo, this strategy makes complete sense from both a promotional and a consumer standpoint, as it directly aligns with what the vast majority of paying fans ultimately want to witness when they tune into an event.
To illustrate his point, Aldo contrasted Evloev’s style with fighters who prioritize entertainment and offensive output above all else, even if it means absorbing defeats along the way.
"Jean Silva could lose three fights, but he’s a guy who comes forward, a guy who puts on a show," Aldo noted. "That’s what fans want to see. ‘Poatan’ [Alex Pereira] was already almost 35 when he joined the UFC, and he kept growing. He became champion in one division and then champion in another. And in terms of technical skills, let’s be honest, he doesn’t have an all-around skill set. He has a good level of kickboxing. His kickboxing is excellent, world-class. But let’s look at it: his wrestling is still developing, he’s still training his ground game, and he’s still developing in that area. So there are certain things he still needs to work on. But the guy is a Mike Tyson. He goes in there and knocks people out. There are so many things you have to consider that, to me, this guy is one of the greatest of all-time."
Aldo drew a similar comparison to light heavyweight great Jon Jones, highlighting how unmatched skill combined with undeniable star power and a penchant for decisive finishes creates an unstoppable commercial force. According to the Brazilian legend, true combat sports greatness transcends simply accumulating victories on the scorecards through cautious, risk-averse tactics.
"Just like I say about Jon Jones, who has every skill in the game," Aldo said. "He’s a guy who sells. He’s like Maradona, who does stupid things outside the sport, but when he gets in there, he destroys people and puts on a show. He’s got charisma, he’s got everything. Everybody likes him. Everybody wants to watch him fight. It’s not just a matter of, ‘Fuck, I beat everybody.’ You beat everybody by laying and praying, drawing no attention, and nobody talks about anything. You know? There are a lot of things you have to weigh to determine whether someone is good or bad."
Beyond stylistic grievances, Aldo took direct issue with controversial comments Evloev recently made to MMAjunkie regarding the legacy of several legendary figures. In that interview, the Russian contender asserted that Aldo, along with former champions Anderson Silva and Anthony Pettis, failed to maintain "the same level after doping tests." The remarks struck a raw nerve, particularly given the decade-long, dominant title reigns Aldo and Silva enjoyed before eventually dropping their respective belts in 2013 and 2015. Notably, Aldo managed to mount a successful career resurgence later in life, even challenging for the bantamweight championship at 33 years of age.
Drawing upon wisdom picked up from his recent ventures around the sport of association football, Aldo fired back at the featherweight contender with a sharp critique of his character and professional standing.
"One thing I’ve learned from being around soccer, which I spend a lot of time around these days," Aldo reflected. "Is that Ronaldinho Gaúcho always says: ‘The good ones never cause any trouble. It’s the bad ones, the ones who are shit, who talk and think they’re somebody.’ Fuck, a guy comes out talking about this… Now I’ve stopped fighting, and I think [Paulo Costa] ‘Borrachinha’ may have surpassed me, but I’ve always been tested like crazy, and nothing ever came up. Unlike the Russians. We know the history of Russians in the Olympics, with WADA and all that. So, fuck, he’s going to come talk to us about doping? Especially when he’s a ghost in the division. Nobody knows who he is. He’s only getting attention now because he’s about to fight, but if you look at the division, it’s been stagnant. Diego also got two opportunities because of that, because the division has been stagnant."
Aldo suggested that while the remarks might not stem purely from simple immaturity, it remains deeply unfortunate that a fighter struggling to establish a mainstream identity would resort to casting unsubstantiated aspersions on the sport’s pioneers. He pointed to his own storied career, including his legendary encounter against Conor McGregor, to emphasize that defeats happen inside the cage due to athletic execution rather than outside factors.
"I wouldn’t say it’s immaturity, but it’s unfortunate for him to bring this up," Aldo said. "Because then I’d have to talk about several other athletes who became champions and then lost quickly afterward and say it was because of doping. If that’s the case, when I fought Conor, I was being tested three times a day while the guy was only tested on fight day. So can I say I lost because of doping? No, I lost because the guy landed a good shot on me, regardless of whether he was on something or not, and he won the fight. Like I told you, as Ronaldinho Gaúcho says, the good ones don’t cause any trouble. The ones who cause trouble are the ones who think they’re hot shit."
Despite his sharp criticisms of Evloev’s demeanor and fighting style, Aldo’s upcoming allegiance at UFC 333 is rooted in genuine respect for the sport’s history rather than petty retaliation. When Volkanovski steps into the Octagon on October 24, Aldo will be firmly in his corner, cheering the Australian star on—even though a successful title defense could solidify or extend records that edge past Aldo’s own historic achievements as a featherweight champion.
"I’m not really driven by ego when it comes to saying, ‘I have to be the greatest,’" Aldo shared. "Every generation will have its own great fighters, and everyone will think one was better than another. Then it keeps going like that, so I don’t really care about it. Volk, I also have a special affection for him. Both he and Max came along toward the end of my career, so to speak. I’m rooting for him. I hope he can win the fight, come out of it healthy, and get the victory. I have absolutely no problem with him surpassing me or tying my record. It’s because I have a completely different mindset. I don’t have that ego when it comes to other people, fighters, or any of that."
Reflecting on the grueling realities of life as an elite mixed martial artist, Aldo expressed a deep sense of camaraderie with those who manage to reach the pinnacle of the sport through hard work and perseverance. Rather than guarding his historical accolades out of pride, the Brazilian veteran’s primary hope is that today’s top-tier competitors can secure their futures and provide stability for their families long after the cheering crowds have faded.
"I’ve never had that kind of ego," Aldo concluded. "What I do have is an understanding of how difficult life is for an MMA fighter trying to make it to the top, compete, become champion, and stay champion. You’re killing a lion every single day, so there are many things going on around you that have a significant impact. I know how difficult it is, not just for him, but for any athlete. I always root for them to make it to the top and win, to capture titles and, in doing so, secure their future. I want them to be able to build a life for themselves and their families down the road."
"I hope he can go out there and defend his title successfully," he added. "Of course, if you’re talking about a fight against Jean Silva, then I’m rooting for Jean Silva. If it’s a fight against Diego, I’m rooting for Diego. They’re Brazilians, so I’m always rooting for them because it’s much harder to make it to the top, fight for a title, win it, and stay champion here in Brazil, you know? I’ll always root for them, but for this particular fight, I’m rooting for Volk."
