The featherweight title picture looks like it is about to get a little bit clearer.
Following Max Holloway’s stunning performance against Brian Ortega last weekend, a list of challengers are forming at the summit of the 145-pound division — all of them wanting to be the presumed next fistic appointment for the Hawaiian champ.
Jose Aldo, twice vanquished already by Holloway, is refusing to rule his title aspirations out and will look to make a statement opposite fellow Brazilian Renato Moicano at the UFC’s event in Fortaleza, Brazil, on February 2.
News of the bout was first reported by MMAJunkie.
Following a trio of setbacks in his last four bouts, Aldo returned to winning ways last July by dispatching Jeremy Stephens inside one round but will now face a more multi-faceted challenge in the form of his compatriot Moicano, a man with a 13-1-1 career record and who holds wins against the likes of Cub Swanson, Stephens also as well as Zubaira Tukhugov.
Moicano was also held in reserve at last weekend’s world title bout between Holloway and Ortega in case one of the fighters was forced off the card, though he missed weight in advance of the event.
The February 2 card will also host:
Raphael Assuncao vs. Marlon Moraes
Demian Maia vs. Lyman Good
Thiago Alves vs. Max Griffin
Alexa Grasso vs. Marina Rodriguez
Junior Albini vs. Dmitriy Sosnovskiy
Magomed Bibulatov vs. Rogerio Bontorin
Mara Romero Borella vs. Taila Santos
Bryan Barberena vs. Vicente Luque
Justin Ledet vs. Johnny Walker
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Ricardo Ramos
