Conor McGregor breaks his silence on Jose Aldo’s UFC 315 retirement with four-word observation

Conor McGregor offered a short acknowledgment to Jose Aldo, a significant past opponent, following Aldo`s recent announcement of retiring from mixed martial arts for the second time.

The Irish fighter shared a well-known rivalry with Aldo as he pursued his initial undisputed UFC championship. Their clash occurred in 2015 at UFC 194, where McGregor delivered a powerful knockout to his Brazilian counterpart, becoming the first person to defeat him within the octagon.

Their dynamic has seen its share of ups and downs since that time, though McGregor has typically shown respect for Aldo`s notable career. After witnessing Aldo`s decision to conclude his fighting career at UFC 315 on Saturday, McGregor conveyed his thoughts via an Instagram story using only four words.

Conor McGregor praises Jose Aldo after UFC 315 retirement

During the event on Saturday night in Montreal, Jose Aldo faced Aiemann Zahabi and was defeated, capping a challenging week marked by a significant issue with his weight cut. The former featherweight champion appeared to be seeking a late finish in the third round but ran out of steam, ultimately losing by unanimous decision.

After the bout, which was contested at featherweight due to the aforementioned health complications from the weight cut, Aldo declared his retirement from the sport. This marks his second time stepping away, the first being after a defeat to Merab Dvalishvili in 2022.

He was later honored with induction into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.

Despite the loss on Saturday, Conor McGregor expressed continued admiration for Aldo`s skills. He posted a video on social media calling Aldo the `featherweight GOAT` and added his brief caption: `Jose Aldo last night 👀`.

Conor McGregor has given Jose Aldo his flowers in the past

Ever since their intensely competitive rivalry concluded with that memorable 13-second knockout, Conor McGregor has consistently shown respect towards Jose Aldo. Although their interactions have occasionally been contentious, McGregor has generally recognized the Brazilian fighter as the premier featherweight of all time.

Following Aldo`s previous retirement and his subsequent Hall of Fame induction, McGregor commented on Twitter that Aldo`s place was `earned.` The two fighters have even discussed the possibility of training sessions together should Aldo visit Ireland.