Credit: Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC

UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo will return to fighting for the first time since his UFC finale in May 2025 against Aiemann Zahabi.

Jose Aldo dropped the gloves at UFC Rio in October after a brief second chapter of his legendary Mixed Martial Arts career. Aldo’s final UFC fight came in a loss to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315, marking his third loss over his final four fights.

Despite his late-career struggles, Aldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history and is arguably the promotion’s greatest featherweight. Before running into Conor McGregor at UFC 194, Aldo was one of the most dominant champions in MMA history, defeating the likes of Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, and Urijah Faber.

Since his MMA retirement, Aldo has kept a keen eye on the latest UFC news and highlights, including Max Holloway’s recent win over McGregor at UFC 329. For the first time since his UFC retirement, Aldo will appear in a combat sports match against a former UFC title challenger.

Jose Aldo vs. Marlon Vera set for upcoming grappling match main event

As announced by Aldo on Thursday, he and former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon Vera will headline an upcoming Hype FC submission grappling event in Quito, Ecuador. The card is tentatively set for October 4th.

Vera hasn’t fought in the UFC Octagon since a unanimous decision loss to David Martinez in February. He’s lost four fights in a row, including a loss to then-UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley at UFC 299.

Vera is scheduled to return to the Octagon against Charles Jourdain next month at UFC 331, headlined by Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2. He most recently competed against UFC featherweight Jean Silva in a Hype FC grappling match, with the clash ending in a draw.

It’s uncertain if Aldo’s upcoming grappling match is a one-off or signals another resurgence in his combat sports career.

What is your favorite highlight from Jose Aldo’s UFC career? Let us know in the comments!

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