Former UFC champion José Aldo is ready to face Esteban Espindola in the ring

Author: Atrakhov S.

With the arrival of the second month of summer, boxing fans are expecting a heated clash between former UFC featherweight champion José Aldo and Argentina’s Esteban Espindola. Two South American athletes will face off in the main event of the “Shooto Boxing 2” tournament in Rio de Janeiro on July 2.

The Upper Arena will host the next fight, which is scheduled to start at 19:00 BRT. Can’t make it to the event? No problem! You can watch all the action on UFC Fight Pass.

Dia 2 de julho tem mais!!

A partir das 19 horas estarei no Ring para enfrentar meu adversário Esteban Espindola!

Venda de ingressos através do instagram @academiaupper pic.twitter.com/siFK7UjjDK

— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) June 26, 2023

It’s Jose’s third professional boxing fight (1-0-1), with Esteban Espindola as his opponent. At first glance, Espindola doesn’t seem like a formidable opponent. For the Argentinian, this fight marks only his third in the world of professional boxing (0-1-1), but this fact serves as excellent motivation to finally get his first win. Especially when facing a renowned champion like Aldo.

After retiring from MMA in 2022, José Aldo returned to fighting just five months later, this time opting for the boxing ring instead of the octagon. Driven by his desire to win, he sought a new challenge and a fresh start.

The UFC veteran made his professional boxing debut at the “Shooto Brazil Boxing” event in Rio against Alberto Emmanuel Zambrano, winning by unanimous decision after six rounds.

In April, Aldo faced his former UFC rival Jeremy Stephens in the “Jorge Masvidal Gamebred Boxing” tournament in Wisconsin. In their last meeting in the octagon, in 2018, Aldo beat Stephens by technical knockout, winning the performance of the night award. However, this time the fight ended in a majority draw. The significant weight difference between the two fighters may have played a role, with Stephens being 9 kg heavier.

At the age of 36, José Aldo has built an impressive career in MMA, with 31 wins (17 by knockout) in 39 fights. He is a former WEC champion, having successfully defended his title twice. Notably, he is the youngest champion in the history of the franchise. After making the transition to the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), José continued his winning streak. From 2010 to 2015, he remained undefeated in the featherweight division, defending his title seven times. He held first place in the organization’s official pound-for-pound rankings until December 12, 2015.