“Why would I rematch him in a different weight class with no belt? Now, to make this fight at 155, where he was full of juice in his body, where he hides and nobody tests him, only when he gets to Las Vegas, a week before the fight, and then it’s way easier for you to clean the body and fight. They offered the fight knowing that I wasn’t trained at all. I can’t say anything. I can train, beat Frankie Edgar and then know that I’ve earned my fight for the title again. We called and texted him every day [asking for the rematch] and nothing. There was no talk for a month. I waited for a call from Dana [White] for three weeks, and when he texted ‘Dede’ [Pederneiras] I was doing a charity soccer match in Manaus, and he talked about replacing Rafael. He knew I wasn’t training because I was coming back from [medical] suspension. They already had in mind who to put against Conor. That’s the path they try to follow, and it’s kind of dirty to me. There’s no negotiation. We ask, and not always we get a response. When they respond is like that, and then they say they love us. It’s a bit weird. But what can I do?”
-A fired up Jose Aldo talks to media in Brazil about why he didn’t step in on short notice at UFC 196, with some significant accusations levied against Conor McGregor (via MMAFighting.com).
Penick’s Analysis: McGregor certainly got some added scrutiny from those expecting PEDs to be responsible for every body change, because he bulked up significantly in a short amount of time between UFC 194 and UFC 196. Still, there’s been no failed test, he’s been tested in and out of competition by USADA thus far, and there’s been no history of PED use from McGregor. That’s not to say it would be surprising, only because there are only a handful of fighters one would be truly surprised to see fail a drug test, and he’s not one of them. There’s no failed test to go off, though, and so the comment is just another thing thrown out by a former foe. Now, the way things were handled with Aldo weren’t good, and Dana White trying to shame him and Edgar for “turning down” the fight at 196 was unnecessary at the time. Regardless, Aldo is going to face Edgar this summer, and should get his rematch then with a win.
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