Jose Aldo eyes 2027 boxing return with Spaten Fight Night: 'Money talks'

Jose Aldo is seriously considering a return to boxing in 2027, telling MMA Fighting there is a ‘high chance’ he appears on a future Spaten Fight Night card in Brazil — provided the UFC grants him permission to compete outside the promotion.

The former UFC featherweight champion, who holds a professional boxing record of 2-0-1, came close to headlining Spaten’s most recent event in August before the opportunity slipped away. Aldo was on vacation in Cancun when organisers needed an immediate answer, and the card ultimately went ahead without him, topped by Glover Teixeira vs. Shogun Rua.

“I even messaged Dana,” Aldo said, referring to UFC president Dana White. “They needed a quick answer and it took too long, so I even let it go. So today, if there’s an opportunity, I’ll go after Hunter [Campbell], Mick [Maynard], and ask for permission. Even before, when I stopped, Dana himself had told me that if there was any boxing offer, they would let me do it, no problem.”

The sticking point remains Aldo’s UFC contract. He has three fights remaining on his current deal and is uncertain when those bouts are scheduled to expire. After retiring from MMA in 2022 — during which time he compiled his boxing record, including two wins in Brazil and a majority draw with Jeremy Stephens — Aldo returned to the UFC in 2024, defeating Jonathan Martinez before suffering decision losses to Mario Bautista and Aiemann Zahabi.

Acknowledging the financial appeal of Spaten’s events, Aldo was candid about his motivation. “Boxing is much more possible for us to do, because I know I’m going to make a lot more money,” he said. “That’s what matters. If an opportunity comes up, whenever one comes up I say, ‘For me to fight, it’s this much.’ If you don’t want it, I don’t care.”

Aldos interest was further stoked backstage at the August show in São Paulo, where he was working as a colour commentator. Olympic judoka Flavio Canto and jiu-jitsu legend Kyra Gracie, both involved with Spaten, made clear he is a priority target for a future card.

“I was with Flavio and Kyra just now and they were saying, ‘You’re our target now,’” Aldo said with a laugh. “We joke around about it. But we’ll see. There are still a lot of things that can happen until next year. If everything lines up properly, I can do a fight like that.”