UFC
UFC 156's Jose Aldo still eying lightweight run, wants to be three-division champion in the UFC
Dec 26, 2012 - 12:15:42 PM UFC 156's Jose Aldo still eying lightweight run, wants to be three-division champion in the UFC

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo has already expressed a desire to move up to the lightweight division and chase after the UFC's 155 lb. title. It's a move that could be made following his fight with Frankie Edgar at UFC 156 in February, but Aldo said recently that it's a call he's leaving in the hands of his coach, Andre "Dede" Pederneiras.

"It all depends on this fight," Aldo said in a recent interview with MMAJunkie.com. "My trainer, 'Dede,' thinks I'm not quite ready. When he thinks I'm ready to go up, I fully intend to go up. Once I beat Frankie Edgar, I'm sure that I can prove that I can fight one notch above.

"Certainly I believe that I'm ready, but 'Dede' believes that I'm still too young, and so he's keeping me back. But I think I'm fully capable of fighting one category above."

It's not a move that would be necessarily permanent, as Aldo believes he can do what Anderson Silva has done by having success in a higher weight class and returning to his own. And he believes after the Edgar fight is the time to test those waters, as the featherweight division is filled with potential challengers, but no clear front-runner.

"I see no problem at all (in coming back to featherweight)," Aldo said. "As a matter of fact, it's never been a problem to maintain my weight. I've been maintaining my weight for quite some time, so I would like to fight at a higher category while maintaining my current weight.

"Athletes and fighters always dream of fighting one category above, and I believe that I can do that. I would like to. That's one of my goals... I would like to do much as Anderson Silva has done. I would like to go up and fight for the championship, obtain the championship and then go back to my category. If I'm able to keep both, I would try that. However, if not, I would like to fight for a title in the category above and then come back to mine."

The 26-year-old's ambition doesn't stop there. Not only is he eying a run in the lightweight division, possibly for two belts at once, but he thinks he can challenge for a third by making a cut down to 135 lbs. as well.

"I have made that weight once, and it has been a dream of mine to win three titles," Aldo said. "Nobody has beaten that record yet. Andre knows that's a dream of mine, but he controls my career, so it all depends. Someday I hope to achieve that. I'd like to make history. For a fight for the title, I could make 135 pounds. I'm not saying it would be easy. It would be difficult, but I think I could do it."

"I believe that there is a lot to be done. One of my dreams was to be a champion, and I am. I have achieved that. There is a lot still that can be achieved. I think that this upcoming fight is a superfight against Frankie Edgar. I think it's going to be great, but I have even more dreams."

Penick's Analysis: It's great to hear explicitly stated goals and drive out of the top fighters in the sport, because there's always a question regarding what keeps someone going when they're on top. For Aldo, it's the desire to be more than just the UFC's Featherweight Champion, and he believes he's got the ability to be successful in a lot of different spots. Many would be inclined to agree with him. Frankie Edgar's camp believes he can challenge for the same title of "Three-Division-Champ," but I think Aldo's much more likely to accomplish that goal. It's not something that will come anytime soon, as Aldo's got a lot ahead of him at 145 lbs. and 155 lbs., but if he can get himself down in weight a bit to make an easier cut to 135 lbs., I wouldn't count him out against anyone in that weight class.