Jose Aldo

By FCF Staff

Following Paulo Costa’s much-discussed, weight-cutting issues last month, Jose Aldo has no reservations about criticizing his fellow, Brazilian fighter.

Costa was booked to fight Marvin Vettori at UFC Vegas 41 at middleweight. But, during fight week, Costa revealed he weighed over 210 pounds and wasn’t going to make 186. Ultimately, after extensive speculation, the fight took place at light heavyweight.

After the fight, Costa – who lost via decision – claimed a bicep injury was responsible for his weight issues. But, while speaking on the Trocação Franca podcast, Aldo criticized Costa for the miss (quotes via MMA Fighting).

“‘Dede’ (coach Andre Pederneiras) always told us that losing and winning is part of the fight, but our obligation was to make weight,” Aldo said. “If you don’t make weight, it’s lack of respect towards your opponent, the promotion, and the fans that are waiting for that. That’s how I was raised, that’s what made me the athlete I am today. To me, it was disrespectful. Even if he’s Brazilian, if could be a friend of mine or anything like that, if you ask me, I’d still say the same thing.

“The opponent goes through like two or three months preparing for a fight in one weight [class], goes on a diet, gets to fight week and starts hearing rumblings that this guy won’t make weight or whatever and starts losing focus. You begin to think not only about your weight, but if the actual fight is going to happen, if the guy will make weight, if he’s going up or going down.

“Even if there’s a fine, even if he gives up, I don’t know, 50 percent of his contact to the opponent, it still disturbs him. It disturbs [the fighter], disturbs the fans that are waiting, disturbs the journalists, disturbs everybody. You go to sleep with one situation and wake up in the morning and it has changed again, the fight is cancelled and then it’s confirmed again.”

The 35-year-old Aldo is booked to fight fellow, bantamweight contender Rob Font on December 4.