Aldo puts off retirement with long-term UFC extension

Jose Aldo won't be retiring from mixed martial arts after all.

UFC president Dana White told ESPN's Brett Okamoto that the former featherweight champion recently signed a contract extension with the promotion.

Aldo's manager confirmed to Okamoto that the 32-year-old inked an eight-fight extension prior to his bout against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 237.

The new contract comes as something of a surprise, as the legendary fighter expressed in January his intention to fight out the remainder of his current deal and potentially pursue a boxing career.

After back-to-back losses to Max Holloway in 2017, Aldo TKO'd Jeremy Stephens and Renato Moicano before falling to Volkanovski in May via unanimous decision.

Aldo joined the UFC in 2010 after World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the promotion. He defended the featherweight title seven times between 2011 and 2014.