Jose Aldo backs injured rival McGregor to reclaim UFC lightweight title on return

Jose Aldo has backed Conor McGregor to re-enter the UFC lightweight title picture, telling MMA Fighting that a wide-open 155 lbs division could be ripe for the Irishman’s taking — a remarkable endorsement from the man McGregor famously knocked out in 13 seconds a decade ago.

McGregor tore his ACL and meniscus in the opening seconds of his rematch against Max Holloway in July, ending a five-year absence from the Octagon. He underwent surgery in August and is targeting a comeback in the summer of 2027, which would be the final fight on his current UFC contract.

Aldo, who suffered the fastest title-fight knockout in UFC history when McGregor finished him at UFC 194 in December 2015 — ending an 18-fight, near-decade-long winning streak — says he harbours no ill will toward his former rival and wants to see him compete again.

“I always hope for the best, so I hope that tomorrow he’s doing well physically and psychologically, too, and that he can return to the UFC and have great fights again,” Aldo told MMA Fighting. “I think first he needs to go through some dietary re-education to see if he can get back down and be lighter again. I think, in my opinion, he has the frame for 155, so it would be good.”

Aldo’s advice runs counter to speculation that McGregor might return at welterweight, where his frame has naturally settled in recent years. The Brazilian argues that a single marquee win at lightweight could immediately thrust McGregor back into contention.

“Today, if Conor fights at 155 and beats a name, the division is wide open again,” Aldo added. “To me, the division has kind of stalled there. Ilia [Topuria] moved up and lost to [Justin] Gaethje, so it’s a bit of a mess there and anyone can come in and snatch the title.”

The comments underline just how unsettled the lightweight landscape has become. Topuria’s move to 155 lbs ended in defeat to Gaethje, leaving the division without a dominant champion and creating the kind of vacancy that, Aldo suggests, a motivated McGregor could exploit — provided the 36-year-old can make the weight and rebuild his form after more than two years away from competition.