Years after one of the most famous title fights in UFC history, Jose Aldo says there is no bad blood with Conor McGregor. Speaking recently, the former featherweight champion said he has a very good relationship not only with McGregor, but with all of his past opponents.
Aldo and McGregor were scheduled for a long promotional build before finally meeting at UFC 194 in Las Vegas, where McGregor knocked out Aldo in 13 seconds to capture the featherweight title. That finish became one of the defining moments of the division and remains the fastest knockout in a UFC title fight.
According to Aldo, the two still exchange messages from time to time. He added that he was happy to see McGregor turn to religion recently and said he congratulated him on that development.
The comments offer a different view of a rivalry that was once fueled by intense trash talk and massive stakes. For American fans, Aldo vs. McGregor is still remembered as a turning point: it launched McGregor into global superstardom while leaving Aldo to rebuild after one of the toughest losses of his career.
It also says something about Aldo’s standing in the sport. Even after years of high-profile wars and title runs in multiple phases of his career, he continues to carry himself like one of MMA’s most respected veterans. McGregor, meanwhile, remains one of the sport’s biggest names despite a long stretch of inactivity and uncertainty about whether he will fight again.
The history between them will always be tied to that night in Las Vegas, but Aldo’s latest remarks make it clear the hostility is gone. What remains is mutual recognition between two fighters whose careers will always be linked, and that connection will keep drawing attention whenever either man speaks publicly again.