Would Aldo have beaten Pettis to win the lightweight title?

[RockyLockridge]

Oh, you mean the opportunity he got that Aldo didn't? He's literally never defended a title. Every other double champ has.



He sat out for a year before the Floyd fight happened.

That had to do with making the fight happen, getting the ufc on board, making a date, world tour ect ect. What you're talking about is after, but at the time he was given the chance, it made sense.

the floyd thing was unforseen. Im not rating conor for it. but it's no wonder, to me atleast, why the UFC would give conor that chance and not Aldo. Even when Aldo got conor vs aldo canceled, that was one of the worst cancelations the ufc has had to deal with. they did a huge world tour for that fight and it was expensive. one of the biggest tours theyve done for a fight.

 

[kkthx]

100%

 

[Viking Power]

Would've been a great fight. Also could've pulled it off.

 

[acannxr]

If aldo didn't pull out of over half his fights and the promotion could plan around his title fights they'd have let him

When Aldo was asking to fight for the Lightweight title (2012-2014), with the exception of 2012 when he got injured and only had one title fight, he had two title fights per year from 2009-2014.

That's not hating.

You're applying a double standard to Aldo.

Aldo has a very poor attendance record as a champ and that's a fact.

"Poor" is a matter of opinion, not a fact.

Aldo had the Fw title for 4 years and only defended 6 times.

Aldo was the champion from 2009 to 2015; the WEC Featherweight title and the UFC's version are the exact same lineage.

Conor has never once signed a date for a fight and not fought on that date. not once.

If the subject of this discussion is reliability, McGregor refused his contractual obligation to do press for UFC 200 and was pulled as a result; McGregor also has zero title defense attempts. How could the UFC "plan around title fights" if McGregor never signed on for them in the first place? Aldo had 14 title fights in 8 years (1.75 avg) and McGregor only had 4 title fights in 3 years (1.33 avg).

Conor and jones to a certain extent, are much more reliable in terms of fighting multiple times a year.

Seriously, Jones? The same Jones who refused to fight a short notice Sonnen which resulted in the event being cancelled? The same Jones who only fought once in 2014 because he didn't want to rematch Gustafsson and later got injured? The same Jones who crashed into a pregnant woman because he was drunk and got stripped of his title in 2015? The same Jones who failed the most drug tests in the history of the UFC and only fought three times between 2016-2018 with one of those events needing to be moved to an entirely different state as a result? The same Jones who became inactive for three years to duck Ngannou? Jones is one of the worst examples you could've used when trying to describe a "reliable" champion.

Aldo wasn't allowed to fight for the Lightweight title because he wasn't a draw; conversely, McGregor was favored by the company because he made them a lot of money.

 

[jitzmonkey]

That’s true, but Conor had even a worse attendance record as champ. Win belts then never defended them, not even once.

There’s a difference between sitting and pulling out.
Conor sat.
Aldo pulled out.
That said, I’ll take healthy Aldo over healthy Pettis.

 

[kfighter]

If Aldo was white he would have been champ champ.

FTFY...Dana WHITE privilege.

 

[Mike]

Yes and I thought so back then too. The more well rounded fighter with a better resume, mentally tougher too.

 

[barillas]

He would have a good chance for sure

 

[Left Hook Lacy]

Damn this was one of my dream fights when Pettis was in his prime. Sucks how newer fans won't see the beast Pettis was in his prime.

Late UFC Pettis definitely looked different. Probably a mix of injuries and less hunger to train. Maybe even stopping roids or something like that who knows. The guy in this WEC video and his early UFC fights was insane.

He still pulled off some great wins like Oliveira Chiesa Wonderboy.

 

[VinceArch]

My money would've been on Aldo.

 

[theTKDguy]

Yes he wouldve i think

 

[swarrrm]

Rounds 1-3 would easily be Aldo's rounds. His jab, speed, power defence and grappling would all be things I think Pettis would struggle with but he was a high paced fighter and in his prime had the confidence to attack no matter what and could find a finish at any time which would make Aldo work hard.
RDA changed Pettis forever by putting doubt in his wild style but I don't think Aldo presented that same pressure to break him so Pettis is probably willing to attack at all angles at all times to his benefit here. His prime style was so effective because he had no reads and would attack the perfect counter whenever he saw openings. He only fell off after RDA because he started over feinting and overthinking taking himself out of fights. At least that's how I see it but Pettis in his prime was a beast that is super underrated now days.




I think Aldo starts strong similar to his fight with Hominick and Lamas but I think he flags hard here in the 4th. He'd have no where to take breaks. Guys like Bendo and Melendez both got subbed trying to fight safe so Aldo shooting a lazy double could get him finished.


I'd take Aldo by decision but this feels like a fight where Aldo dominates early and Pettis dominates late being decided by what round Aldo gasses.

Both in my top 5 all time favorites and this is how I see it too.

 

[James Eagle]

quite easily

KO rd 2

 

[RockyLockridge]

Aldo wasn't allowed to fight for the Lightweight title because he wasn't a draw; conversely, McGregor was favored by the company because he made them a lot of money.

So you think, But if I had to make a Claim it was because he was unreliable. Conor at the time was very reliable.

 

[donkeyjr]

Lol cmon, stop hating. Jones sat out for 2 years, publicly feuded with Dana on Twitter and got an immediate title shot at heavyweight. Remember Conor refusing to do press for UFC 200? He still got his champ champ fight after that.

Nah, you need to stop hating; you're a certified Jones hater. Why are you even bringing him into this discussion in the first place? Jones vacated his belt, then fought for the heavyweight championship. So, what are you even talking about? Jones was even way more active as a fighter than Aldo in the UFC. Dude is literally the GOAT of his division, and you're sitting here complaining about him getting an immediate title shot at heavyweight. You're too clouded by your hatred of Jones.

You know how many times Aldo pulled out of a fight compare to Jon Jones?

 

[CashMoney1991]

I think Aldo would of pieced him up, Aldo had very good boxing, Pettis had shit boxing, especially when defending it, Nate boxed him up real good, Pettis was a good fighter, but if you don't let him get flashy, you can beat him, Aldo 49-46 UD with him slowing down in the later rounds

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

I think Aldos boxing was considerably better than Pettis' and Pettis had great submissions, but I don't think that would have become anything vs Aldo

That's not hating. Aldo has a very poor attendance record as a champ and that's a fact. Aldo had the Fw title for 4 years and only defended 6 times. As a promoter no, I would never let aldo touch two belts. Conor has never once signed a date for a fight and not fought on that date. not once. Conor and jones to a certain extent, are much more reliable in terms of fighting multiple times a year.

I remember Grispi, Koch, and Hioki all being fighters who were going to fight for the title within 2 years of each other (2011-2012), all decided to take a fight first and all lost, thus losing their shots.

He won the belt Nov 2009 and was being set up against Pettis immediately after beating Frankie Feb 2013. That's little over 2 fights a year.

 

[generalyum]

Late UFC Pettis definitely looked different. Probably a mix of injuries and less hunger to train. Maybe even stopping roids or something like that who knows. The guy in this WEC video and his early UFC fights was insane.

He still pulled off some great wins like Oliveira Chiesa Wonderboy.

I agree. What impressed me was his guard game, I remember he had some sick subs in the WEC

 

[michi972]

Also could beat Pettis, Alvarez, Edgar at LW, Cruz at Bw

 

[michi972]

I think Aldos boxing was considerably better than Pettis' and Pettis had great submissions, but I don't think that would have become anything vs Aldo


I remember Grispi, Koch, and Hioki all being fighters who were going to fight for the title within 2 years of each other (2011-2012), all decided to take a fight first and all lost, thus losing their shots.

He won the belt Nov 2009 and was being set up against Pettis immediately after beating Frankie Feb 2013. That's little over 2 fights a year.

Aldo would wrestle if necessary and I would say he has better postional game than Pettis