Aldo wants fight with Stephens at UFC 224
Jose Aldo has a name in mind for his first career non-title fight in the UFC.
Coming off back-to-back losses to Max Holloway, the promotion's first featherweight champion says he's interested in taking on Jeremy Stephens when the UFC returns to Brazil on May 12.
"I asked to fight him, he asked to fight me, so it will be a great fight," Aldo told Brazilian TV show Reviste Combate, according to MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz. "I'm waiting for them to set it up."
Aldo (26-4) said the UFC wanted to schedule the fight in April, but the Brazilian declined, citing his inability to be ready by then. If he gets his way, this would be the fifth time in Aldo's UFC career that he would fight in his home country. The 31-year-old Stephens has other plans, however, taking to Twitter on Thursday to instead call for a date with Aldo at UFC 225 on June 9 in Chicago.
Stephens (28-14) is coming off a three-fight win streak, most recently knocking out Josh Emmett in late February. The 31-year-old is currently fifth in the UFC's featherweight rankings, while Aldo sits second.