Dana White Thinks Jose Aldo Is Overreacting After Demanding UFC Release

Interim 145lb champion Jose Aldo recently demanded his release from the UFC after learning that featherweight champion Conor McGregor would be fighting lightweight champion at UFC 205 in November, rather than defending his own belt, but Dana White feels he’s overreacting.

“Jose Aldo and I will get together, probably next week, and we’ll talk about this,” White stated on the ‘UFC Tonight’ show on FOX Sports 1. “I think he’s being a little ridiculous about this. I’ll get him a fight. I’ll get him a fight all day long.”

It’s believed that meeting will take place next Wednesday, October 19th, and given that earlier this week Aldo went as far as to state that he’d be willing to a throw a fight in order to get out of his contract, it’s going to be tough to get the former long-time featherweight champion back on-board.

“If they release me, that would be great, but if not, what can we do?” Aldo told MMAfighting.com. “I have other projects and that depends on this meeting we’re having with them,” he continued. “If I want to retire, no contract can stop me. I can go there and say (I’m retired) and they can’t force me to fight. A lawyer already looked at the contract, but I don’t want to fight (the UFC in court). I don’t want anything.

“Ah, you want me to fight MMA again? So I’ll get in there and tap right away, and the fight is over. I’d do it quickly. What I really want is other things for my life.”

Nevertheless, White will be heading into the meeting hoping to convince Aldo that there are still big fights remaining for him in the UFC, regardless of whether he gets to rematch McGregor immediately or not.

“If you look at that division (featherweight), it’s stacked,” White said. “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.”

Ross launched MMA Insight (previously FightOfTheNight.com) in 2009 as a way to channel his passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. He's since penned countless news stories and live fight reports along with dozens of feature articles as the lead writer for the site, reaching millions of fans in the process.