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One of the more intriguing UFC matchups in the next few months is Jose Aldo taking on Pedro Munhoz. The legendary Aldo is set to clash with the dangerous Munhoz in a bantamweight bout at UFC 265 (August 7th, 2021).
Raphael Marinho of Combate reported that a bantamweight matchup between Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz will be featured on the UFC 265 fight card. The fight is likely to be officially announced by the UFC sooner rather than later.
Needless to say, the fact that Aldo and Munhoz are on a collision course has set the MMA community abuzz with regard to the fireworks that await us when these two warriors trade leather inside the octagon.
We take a look at three reasons why the bantamweight bout between Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz at UFC 265 could be an instant classic.
#3 Jose Aldo’s diverse striking arsenal matches up brilliantly against Pedro Munhoz’s terrifying pugilistic skills
Jose Aldo is widely regarded as one of the most skilled Muay Thai strikers to have ever competed in the sport of MMA. But a long and storied career has witnessed Aldo take a significant amount of wear and tear. The vast majority of fans and experts believe that this has resulted in his striking and overall performances slowing down.
Meanwhile, one of the most impressive knockouts of the 2019 calendar year was Pedro Munhoz’s first-round KO win over former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt at UFC 235 (March 2019). Munhoz's punching power isn't something to be messed with!
Jose Aldo’s striking includes beautiful punches, elbows, kicks, knees, parries, slips, bobbing and weaving, and so much more. On the other hand, Pedro Munhoz tends to rely more on his outstanding boxing skills. Munhoz can also elbow, kick, knee, parry, and do everything a great striker needs to do.
However, Jose Aldo is likely to have the technical edge in the striking department in this matchup. The striking battle alone makes this a must-see fight. Aldo will have to steer clear of Munhoz’s punches, avoid getting into a phone booth fight, and utilize kicks to keep the power-puncher at long range.
Alternatively, Pedro Munhoz will be looking to draw Jose Aldo into a slugfest and catch the former UFC featherweight champion with powerful hooks at close range. Whether or not Jose Aldo’s defensive striking holds up against Pedro Munhoz is one of the key factors that’ll surely make this fight a thriller from start to finish.
#2 Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz’s grappling skills will likely nullify one another, giving fans a fast-paced standup battle
As noted, the striking battle alone makes Jose Aldo vs. Pedro Munhoz worth the watch. That said, both fighters’ criminally underrated grappling skills will contribute towards making this fight a back-and-forth standup war.
The MMA community is quite familiar with Jose Aldo’s love for keeping his fights on the feet and putting on striking masterclasses inside the octagon. That said, Pedro Munhoz could mix in takedown attempts throughout the fight, distracting Aldo and finding openings in the legendary fighter’s striking defense.
Whether or not Munhoz mixes things up with his striking and grappling, one thing’s for sure. Fans will be treated to high-level striking (and maybe even some high-level grappling in short bursts) in the Jose Aldo vs. Pedro Munhoz matchup.
#1 Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz are on a quest to win UFC gold
Jose Aldo’s most recent fight was a unanimous decision win over Marlon Vera at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal (December 2020). Pedro Munhoz’s most recent fight was a unanimous decision win over Jimmie Rivera at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane (February 2021).
Both Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz are on a quest to win UFC gold – one already held it in the past, whereas the other is looking forward to the experience. It’d be safe to say that come UFC 265, neither fighter will back down.
Their respective skill-sets and the undying desire to win the UFC strap are most definitely indicators that the MMA world has a classic fight in the making in Jose Aldo vs. Pedro Munhoz.
Which fighter do you see emerging victorious in the UFC 265 matchup between Jose Aldo and Pedro Munhoz? Sound off in the comments.
