Jose Aldo received some harsh criticism from UFC president Dana White after he was forced to pull out of his fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 189. Aldo injured a rib during training and White was quick to blast the situation on social media and in the press.
In July Dana White told Jim Rome:
The Stone Ages and the training has to change. If you’re gonna be throwing those type of kicks at the world champion two weeks before the biggest fight of his life, he should at least have rib protectors on or body pads or something so that this doesn’t happen
Jose Aldo also spoke with the press recently and made it clear that his safety gear is – his God – and not padding.
That never happened at Nova Uniao. Our protection is God.
God always has something good for us, and now the fight is going to be two times bigger. The fan expectation, him being the champion, everything will be bigger. About the protection, we always trained like this. Not only me, but other athletes already pulled out from fights with rib injuries, ankle injuries. That’s part of the job. It’s a contact sport.
Not for me. I ask for God’s protection and I’m protected. The closer to reality, the better for me. Protection is for the weak. We have to be closer to reality.
Many, including myself, believe that if Aldo is injured prior to his title unification belt with interim 145 pound champ McGregor that he will be stripped of the title. Aldo has been prone to injuries in the past and if backs out of his next one that is most assuredly the end of the line for the champion. He will become another challenger for the dominant Irishman.