“I wanted to train jiu-jitsu instead of capoeira because the mat was soft. It was better than training capoeira on the hard floor. I started reading jiu-jitsu magazines, reading about the world champions, and becoming one of them became my goal.”

Brazilian former mixed martial artist

José Aldo da Silva Oliveira Júnior is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the UFC’s bantamweight and featherweight divisions and became the inaugural UFC Featherweight Champion after the UFC and WEC merged. Aldo also held the interim UFC featherweight title and was the final WEC Featherweight Champion. He defended the UFC featherweight belt seven times and the WEC title twice, a record that has placed him among the most highly regarded featherweights in the sport.