Jose Aldo returns: 'The King of Rio's' Greatest Hits

This weekend at UFC 301, legendary former featherweight champion Jose Aldo returns to action for the first time since 2022, taking on Jonathan Martinez.

Jose Aldo is one of the most accomplished fighters in MMA history, and so ahead of his big comeback, it's worth looking at his greatest moments in the octagon.

Aldo reigned as featherweight champion from 2011 to 2015 - with an added two years if you count his exploits in the WEC - and fought a who's who of other greats during his decade-long career.

Whether he can recapture the magic this time around remains to be seen, but for now, here are Aldo's five greatest hits.

#5. Jose Aldo vs. Urijah Faber - WEC 48 (2010)

Jose Aldo had plenty of memorable moments during his run in the WEC, including his wild double-knee knockout of Cub Swanson and his featherweight title win over Mike Brown. His greatest moment in the cage, though, came when he traveled into hostile territory to take on former titleholder Urijah Faber in his first title defense.

WEC 48 was the promotion's first pay-per-view, was heavily pushed by the UFC, and took place in Faber's backyard in Sacramento, California. It was clear to anyone watching that Dana White and the company would've loved 'The California Kid' to regain his crown.

However, it was clear from the moment that Aldo walked out to Jay Z's 'Run This Town' that he was on a mission to ensure that the title remained around his waist.

Indeed, over five rounds, Aldo systematically dismantled Faber, abusing him with his brutal leg kicks and coming close to finishing him in the fourth round with some huge ground-and-pound.

By the time the fight was over, only Faber's heart was keeping him going, and it was painfully clear, even to the Sacramento crowd, that Aldo was the better man by far.

More importantly, though, the event was a huge hit on pay-per-view and essentially forced the UFC to bring the featherweight and bantamweight divisions in less than a year.

In that sense, the smaller fighters of today arguably have Aldo to thank for the spotlight that shines upon them.

#4. Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes - UFC 142

When the UFC absorbed the WEC's roster at the start of 2011, Jose Aldo came aboard as the inaugural featherweight champion. However, the beginning of his octagon career was slow.

Aldo's debut and first defense over Mark Hominick were entertaining but saw him slow down and lose the fifth round badly. His second defense against Kenny Florian, meanwhile, was a dull fight that saw the Brazilian do just enough to squeeze out a win.

Things changed for him when he was matched with unbeaten prospect Chad Mendes at UFC 142 at the start of 2012. The event was the UFC's second trip to Brazil in six months, and it was here that Aldo earned the nickname 'The King of Rio'.

'Money' was expected to use his powerful wrestling and takedowns to test Aldo, but in the end, he didn't come close. With seconds remaining in the first round, the Brazilian showed exactly why he'd become such a big star in the WEC.

Spinning out of a rear waistlock from Mendes, Aldo cracked him with a knee directly to the jaw, knocking him out instantly. Moments later, the fight was over, and in an iconic moment, the champion leaped into the crowd to celebrate amongst his people.

In both Brazil and the eyes of the worldwide audience, a mega-star was born, and the finish remains amongst the most memorable of Aldo's epic career.

#3. Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar - UFC 156

After his stirring win over Chad Mendes at the start of 2012, it looked like Jose Aldo had finally hit the ground running in the UFC. Unfortunately, in some ways, the win turned out to be a false start.

Aldo spent the remainder of the year on the shelf after a couple of injuries, and by the time he was ready to return, he was faced with probably his toughest challenge to date.

UFC 156 saw him face former lightweight titleholder Frankie Edgar, a fighter who'd long been seen as undersized at 155 pounds. With his strong wrestling, sharp boxing, and endless cardio, on paper at least, 'The Answer' could've been Aldo's kryptonite.

When it came to fight time, though, Aldo produced one of his best - and most mature - performances. His timing, reflexes, and speed allowed him to cut through Edgar's vaunted footwork to land the better shots throughout the fight, and whenever 'The Answer' did take him down, he bounced right back to his feet.

Sure, he didn't get the finish that he undoubtedly would've loved to have delivered, but the fact that he largely picked apart a fighter who'd ruled the weight class above him was still hugely impressive.

If anything, this was the fight that proved Jose Aldo wasn't just a great featherweight, he was an all-time pound-for-pound great, too.

#2. Jose Aldo vs. Chad Mendes - UFC 179

While Jose Aldo produced probably the best finish of his UFC career when he beat Chad Mendes in 2012, the win still came with a caveat of sorts in that 'Money' arguably wasn't ready for the opportunity he was given.

By the time he'd earned a rematch two-and-a-half years later, though, nobody could claim that was the case. Mendes had reeled off five wins since losing to Aldo, four of them coming via KO or TKO.

Where he'd been little more than a wrestler the first time around, the 2014 version of 'Money' who headed down to Rio de Janeiro for the second time was a wrecking ball with brutal knockout power in his hands.

Indeed, the first round saw Mendes demonstrate his power by becoming the first fighter to ever knock Aldo down in the octagon, as he dropped him with a hard left hook.

Unfortunately for Mendes, it wasn't enough to put the Brazilian away, and Aldo came roaring back in the same round, decking the challenger with his left hook and then hurting him badly with a second knockdown, albeit a split-second after the buzzer.

The wild round set the tone for what turned out to be a stone-cold classic fight, as 'Money' continued to take things to Aldo, who simply fired right back. Despite Mendes' clear improvements, though, the Brazilian still had the upper hand and was able to just about edge a tight decision.

The fight, though, was arguably the very best of 2014, featuring two fighters at the very top of their game going toe-to-toe for 25 minutes. More than any other bout, this was the very best of Jose Aldo, who once again lived up to his 'King of Rio' nickname by shining in front of his countrymen yet again.

#1. Jose Aldo vs. Jeremy Stephens - UFC on Fox 30

By 2018, it appeared to many observers that Jose Aldo's best days were miles behind him. He hadn't won since his victory over Frankie Edgar in July 2016, had suffered a bad knockout at the hands of Conor McGregor in 2015, and two bad TKO losses to Max Holloway in 2017. Some fans even called for him to retire.

However, Aldo still had plenty left in the tank, and he showed that in a vintage performance against Jeremy Stephens in the co-headliner of a UFC on Fox event in Calgary that July.

A noted brawler, Stephens promised to take the fight to Aldo, and with plenty of power in his punches, there was every chance that 'Lil Heathen' would land the shot to take the Brazilian out.

However, Stephens didn't stand a chance when it came to fight time. Not only did Aldo somehow absorb his big punches - proving the idea that his durability was shot incorrectly - but he also showed levels of aggression not seen since his WEC days. Eventually, Aldo melted 'Lil Heathen' with a huge combination, dropping him with a right to the jaw and a left to the body before finishing him on the ground.

It was an astonishing reminder of the Brazilian's capabilities and was easily his most stirring finish since his 2012 win over Chad Mendes. More than anything, though, it proved that Jose Aldo still could compete at the top - something he'll attempt to prove again this weekend.