2.) He hasn’t evolved:
Aldo’s skills, while wholly lethal, haven’t really changed all that much since he made his way to the UFC in 2011. He’s still going to rely on his punishing low kicks and stellar takedown defense, especially against a wrestler as good as Mendes.
Aldo’s Muay Thai is definitely the best in his division and some of the best the sport has ever seen. He also brings a top-notch jiu-jitsu game that he seldom has to use.
But it just doesn’t seem like he’s getting better, something that White has heavily criticized him for.
Part (or even a lot) of that may be because he simply hasn’t been put in real trouble inside the octagon. His development as a fighter could be stagnating because he hasn’t had to evolve at all to catch up to improving competition. It’s true that the featherweight division has definitely increased in terms of talent in recent years, but Aldo has sent each top contender packing with a relentless barrage of leg kicks.
Aldo has failed to get better has time has progressed, but the same thing can’t be said about his opponent…
