Aldo refused to do a faceoff in the octagon, the UFC asked him to.

[mangokush]

Good to see that Aldo does not get caught up in this WWEish drama that the UFC seems to be embracing

Aldo will destroy this plastic paddy within a few rounds and this Conman McClown hype train will end

 

[RoyJonesJr]

Fear doesn't just mean fear of getting hit in the face. No, I don't think Jose Aldo is afraid Conor was going to punch him and hurt him. He's not afraid of the potential for violence. But there are many forms of fear. Fear of public speaking. Fear of looking stupid. He'd have to speak through a translator, while Conor wouldn't; it'd be hard to keep up if the slick Irishman started cracking jokes, and he'd likely end up fumbling for a good comeback and come out looking worse. There are a million more reasons, too, and only Jose knows which it is.

Superstition is not a legitimate excuse. His job is to fight, yes, but media obligations are also a part of his job. How on earth can part of your job be to do media yet you categorically cannot step into the octagon until your fight is about to begin? Baffling.

Very interesting way to look at it, and it does make sense. He probably wasn't scared, but thought it would be pointless because Connor would keep clowning and Aldo can't really do anything but stand and watch.

I don't think Aldo is scared of fighting Connor

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

Since when Aldo stepped into the octagon to face a CHALLENGER? It's one thing if a challenger such as McGregor steps in and interferes Aldo's interview. So just because McGregor happens to be your favorite fighter at the moment and all of sudden Aldo is fearing a number five guy? STFU, seriously. Aldo's been a champion since he crossed over from WEC before you even heard of McGregor.

Damn fanboy morons...

That's the point, genius. The guy doesn't do shit to hype fights--which his PPV numbers show--and for once he out to a contender's fight, all the way to fucking Boston, to promote his next defense but he stops a few feet short--literally--of actually promoting all because of "superstition."

 

[RockUmSockUm]

I agree, he needs to take the promoting seriously. Its hard to defend his pay when he doesn't care about promoting himself.

He promotes himself by kicking asses in the cage. It's not his fault the UFC sucks at promoting their product, signs shitty sponsorship deals with B-level companies like Redbook, and schedules fight cards in cities where NFL teams are playing on the same f*cking night. This bush league ass promotion is not Aldo's fault.

 

[Jin Akutsu]

My personal stance is I don't think Aldo is scared to fight anyone. He is a dominant champion.

That being said, considering how much he complains about pay without a doubt this was a pretty strange move from him.

 

[csroster]

It was smart for Aldo not to go into the cage.

It's not like they're in Brazil, so all Aldo could really do is stand there smiling and nodding like (yeah keep talking) while Conor went off. With all the hype, the crowd behind Conor after his win and Aldo needing a translator, he would have just stood there getting humiliated.

It might get a few extra views and net you few extra dollars, but personally I would pay money to not go through that experience.

 

[AusMMAfan]

Aldo is more classy than that. Connor is the new Sonnen WWE hype crap.

 

[Medium Nog]

He declined because he is superstitious and only enters the octagon for fights. Per Dana.

Conor called him out on it saying its another form of fear.

Conor's exact words:



Thoughts?

I don't understand why the champion would go into the octagon to confront the challenger, I think it should be the other way around. I mean they had Pettis go down to FW to challenge Aldo. It's not like there is a Pride or Strikeforce that has an equal for him to fight. Even Paticio Pitbull would have to come and challenge Aldo for a fight, not the other way around.

 

[Steve08]

I would imagine the reason why Aldo hasn't said anything "face to face" would be the fact that he speaks Portuguese and not English but that's just me.

 

[Iron-Fists]

Aldo calls it superstitions, rituals.

McGregor and myself call it downright MF fear.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Also: good to know he'll take no effort in promotion. It'll be all McGregor.

Charity.

Aldo staring impassively as McGregor screamed was pretty awesome. The UFC will show that clip again and again to hype their fight. His grin after McGregor walked away was pretty great as well.

He is the straight man. And the straight man usually does more of the heavy lifting than they are credited with.

 

[Mixedfights]

After Conor jumped the fence and confronted him I cant believe he didnt get into the octagon.

 

[Tony_Clifton]

Fear doesn't just mean fear of getting hit in the face. No, I don't think Jose Aldo is afraid Conor was going to punch him and hurt him. He's not afraid of the potential for violence. But there are many forms of fear. Fear of public speaking. Fear of looking stupid. He'd have to speak through a translator, while Conor wouldn't; it'd be hard to keep up if the slick Irishman started cracking jokes, and he'd likely end up fumbling for a good comeback and come out looking worse. There are a million more reasons, too, and only Jose knows which it is.

Superstition is not a legitimate excuse. His job is to fight, yes, but media obligations are also a part of his job. How on earth can part of your job be to do media yet you categorically cannot step into the octagon until your fight is about to begin? Baffling.

That I could understand.

 

[Medium Nog]

Aldo calls it superstitions, rituals.

McGregor and myself call it downright MF fear.

Or maybe it's not the champions place to confront the challenger. Challengers Challenge, Champions defend. Plus, your boy got laughed at when he was acting tough.

 

[Toco]

if its 100% true, then he clearly pussied out

but not unexpected since he was about to be face-to-face to The GOAT

 

[Hespect Housey**]

Aldo staring impassively as McGregor screamed was pretty awesome. The UFC will show that clip again and again to hype their fight. His grin after McGregor walked away was pretty great as well.

Look, I disagree with none of that. If you check some posts back, I said the promotional aspect was already fulfilled.

I'm saying the promotion being fulfilled is different from Aldo's explicitly stated reason, and his explicitly stated reason amounts to fear, and I also make the distinction that the fear is not of Conor - it's at something irrational.

I know you didn't elicit all those points but I just don't want to leave any ambiguity.

That said: none of that would have happened without Conor's initiative. You could say, well, Conor couldn't have taken the initiative had Aldo not come to Boston in the first place. Well, not every initiative is equal.

 

[Medium Nog]

if its 100% true, then he clearly pussied out

but not unexpected since he was about to be face-to-face to The GOAT

Your boy better defend himself at all times because Aldo hit Mendes after the bell last time he was irritated. He seems to turn up the intensity when his opponent talks.

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

Or maybe it's not the champions place to confront the challenger. Challengers Challenge, Champions defend. Plus, your boy got laughed at when he was acting tough.

Then why did he leave his home and fly 5,000 miles to watch his challenger's fight?

Oops.

 

[Medium Nog]

Look, I disagree with none of that. If you check some posts back, I said the promotional aspect was already fulfilled.

I'm saying the promotion being fulfilled is different from Aldo's explicitly stated reason, and his explicitly stated reason amounts to fear, and I also make the distinction that the fear is not of Conor - it's at something irrational.

I know you didn't elicit all those points but I just don't want to leave any ambiguity.

That said: none of that would have happened without Conor's initiative. You could say, well, Conor couldn't have taken the initiative had Aldo not come to Boston in the first place. Well, not every initiative is equal.

Don't forget all Aldo said at the q and a this weekend, that will definitely be used to promote the fight and was another reason he was present this weekend.

 

[Jin Akutsu]

Your boy better defend himself at all times because Aldo hit Mendes after the bell last time he was irritated. He seems to turn up the intensity when his opponent talks.

If he starts winging shots or being too emotional, he will will lose.