Damon Martin: Hey Jose. My first question, you know, the last year for you has been kind of crazy. You nearly retired. You nearly walked away from the sport. Where is your mind as you go into this title fight in Brazil? Are you happy to be back? Are you excited to be fighting?
Jose Aldo: It’s a great pleasure. It’s a great honour for me to come back and fight in Brazil and really know that what motivates me is that I love what I do and this is what I do for a living. So, the past year, I just preferred to put that behind me and, you know, I’m happy to go in there and unify this belt because like I’ve always said, I’ve always fought - I’ve never lost a championship. I’ve always been the champion.
Damon Martin: Outside of the fight with Conor McGregor, you have dominated everyone at featherweight. Do you see Max Holloway is in a way maybe the last man standing in this division for you, considering you’ve beaten most of the other contenders, you know, currently in the top five?
Jose Aldo: Yes. It’s something I don’t think about much but, you know, I think it’s going to be a great fight. I think that we’ve had great fights in the past and he’s built himself up to title contention. But, you know, it really doesn’t matter to me. I have goals of my own right now and different things that I have been thinking of and going in there to defend my belt once again. I think there’s a lot of guys coming up, new guys who are going to be coming up and be fighting for the title soon. So, it really doesn’t matter to me. My job is to go in there and defend my belt.
Damon Martin: And Jose, what are your thoughts on some of the things that Max has said leading into this fight? You know, he did the whole, you know, where’s Waldo campaign and he said that, you know, you didn’t fight him in November when you had the chance. You didn’t fight him a December when you had the chance. Do you pay attention to that? Do you think he’s trying to get into your head or do you ignore all that? How do you react to some of the things he said?
Jose Aldo: He can say whatever he wants. I mean the circumstances around everything that happened with booking our fight is something totally different. But, it’s like I said in the press conference in Rio a few weeks ago, it’s to promote the fight. Whatever we’re doing, whatever he’s saying and whatever the back and forth is, it’s about promoting the fight. It’s good for the fans. It’s good for us. So, I think it’s all worth it. I know that I have to do my job and I feel very well trained to do so.
Jack Encarnacao: Thanks very much. Jose, you mentioned in your comments that you have your own goals that you’re focused on. What are those goals?
Jose Aldo: I think right now I have to get through this title fight and once I get through that, I can start thinking of some of the other things I would like to do. I think there may be a lot of challenges in other divisions or with other guys that I haven’t fought before. So, I think there’s plenty left for me to challenge myself. And in my personal life, I have my own things as well, but that’s between me and my family.
Jack Encarnacao: Okay. Are there any prior challenges, Jose that you’ve faced in your career that are like Max’s? Does he have the style that reminds you of any opponents you’ve fought before?
Jose Aldo: Yes. It’s nothing new to me. I have fought many guys before, even in my WC days against guys with similar characteristics to him. I’ve trained with those guys and continue to do so. It’s normal to me. It’s no surprise at all.
Jack Encarnacao: Jose, do you still want to try to box? And if so, do you want to try to do that while UFC contract or after this fight contract is over?
Jose Aldo: Yes. Boxing is - that’s always been a personal wish of mine and it’s something that I like to think of a little bit down the road, but the wish that I have is not to just - I don’t have any specific one fight that I’d like to have. I’d like to start a career in fighting smaller shows and see where that takes me. So yes, that would be something that I would need to sit down with (Dana) and see how they would do that down the road. But it’d be something I’d have to do outside of my career in the UFC as I’d like to have a career in boxing.
Jack Encarnacao: Last question for me. Is there anything about fighting in Brazil, Jose that adds a different feeling to the experience? What is it about fighting in Brazil? How is it different than fighting in the United States for you?
Jose Aldo: There’s definitely a different feeling to it. Everyone is rooting for me and they all speak Portuguese, so I can interact with everybody. So, there is a different side to that. It’s close to my gym. My family and friends can be there but, you know, I’ve fought so much outside of Brazil, so much in the United States that it’s normal to me as well. Plus, when I fight in the US for instance, there are so many Brazilians that travel to watch the fights anyway that you still get a lot of that energy in there.
Diego Rabas: The question is about Conor McGregor
Jose Aldo: A lot of people still ask him about Conor, if he’d like to face him again. And looking back on these two years or so that they’ve been with the back and forth, is there anything that Aldo would do to change any of that? And Aldo’s answer was simple. Although it was a while ago when I fought Conor, it was something that I tried to make the best out of. I’m not going to sit around and cry, but in the end, we did lose the fight. So, if I were to go back and change anything, I would change that. But everything else that went around it, the division was promoted. The UFC - myself, I was promoted. I try to see the good in it, the silver lining and everything but, the UFC tried to make this fight happen again, and it didn’t. The guy does not want to fight with me again. It may be the last time that people ask. He doesn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore and that’s fine. It happened. It’s in the past.
Diego Rabas: Does Holloway add to their legacy and how long do you see yourself still fighting? I mean, see yourself as a professional athlete?
Jose Aldo: well Holloway, he’s a guy that I’ve been looking for, for a while and I knew that we’d end up facing each other. He’s a tough guy. And in my MMA career, I’m happy to go to the gym every day. This is what I chose to do with my life. I’m happy to be able to do this and I know there’s plenty of people out there who would love to be doing it and can’t. Boxing is something that I love to do. It’s a wish of mine that I’ve had to not just put on big fights, but put on a career in boxing.
But that’s something I’m going to have to discuss with UFC and see what is the best way of doing that down the line. But right now, I’d like to defend my belt and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.
Steven Marrocco: Yes. Max, a question I want to ask you off the top of the bat is, you know, do you feel comfortable with everything you’ve said leading into this fight? As Damon mentioned before, the whole Waldo stuff, the talking you did to make this fight happen. Do you feel comfortable with everything you said?
Max Holloway: Yes. Everything I said was facts. It’s just facts, man. I’m not making this stuff up. You can go and - everything I say, he’s saying it. He’s doing it. He said it or it’s written down somewhere, you know. Go Google it, you know. I’m comfortable. Why wouldn’t I be? I’m not making stuff up.
Steven Marrocco: A little earlier, Jose was talking about a desire to box professionally. And I’m wondering what your reaction to that is. Does that surprise you that he’d be interested in sort of going that route and trying a different sport? Do you think that means anything in relation to his long-term career goals or where his head is at?
Max Holloway: I don’t know, man. This guy has a big fight ahead of him in June 3rd. I’m not thinking about boxing and I’m not thinking about anything but fighting on June 3rd, you know. This is my career. This is my life and I understand people handle things differently but, why the hell is he talking about boxing, man? He’s got a big MMA fight in front of him at 212. We’ll see what happens. The world is going to find out and we’ll see how it goes down June 3rd on PPV. Make sure you guys tune in because it’s the most anticipated fight all year, so it’s great. I’m happy and he can think and whatever he wants, but, the way I look at things is that he’s got a big fight in front of him and this guy’s thinking about boxing. You guys tell me what you think about it.
Steven Marrocco: Well, I guess, you know, my follow up would be, do you think his heart is still in it after all the acrimony he’s had with UFC, wanting to retire, play soccer and now talking about boxing. Do you think his heart is set on fighting?
Max Holloway: I can’t speak for the man. That’s a question you’ve got to go ask him. We’re about to find out though on June 3rd and I’m excited, man.
Damon Martin: Max, we’ve talked about Jose Aldo a lot over the last few years as the guy you looked up to when you were coming up in the sport. You had a lot of respect for him, but the demeanor has changed a little bit over this last year or so when you tried to fight him in November and it didn’t happen. You tried to fight him in December, it didn’t happen, so there’s been a lot of back and forth. Would you say your opinion of or your respect for Joe Aldo has changed leading into this fight from what it was a couple years ago?
Max Holloway: Oh yes, Of course. I’m fighting the guy at the end of the day and, business is business. It is what it is, and things happen. I’ve got a big rival in front of me and I can’t wait to make that walk and fight the guy. Things happen; You know, the timing wasn’t right. The time is now and I just look forward to it. You know, I just - I respect the guy. I think you need to respect the guy. Look, he’s one of the greatest to do it. Like I said before, since I was 17 I watched this guy at 25. He stayed on top of the division. Now, it’s time for a new era. Right now, we’ve got business to take care of. I can’t wait to fight the guy.
Damon Martin: Yes. Leading into this, Max, you experienced a little bit more with your last fight when you beat Anthony Pettis. But with this kind of fight comes a lot more attention, a lot more scrutiny, a lot more work. Some fighters have admitted that, you know, doing all the media and the traveling and all the things, it takes away leading into the fight. How has it been for you? Because I know you’ve been kind of the American side so to speak, promoting the fight, while he’s doing it down in Brazil. How has it been for you adjusting to life and has it affected you at all in terms of your mindset in terms of staying focused on the fight?
Max Holloway: This is the life I chose. This is the life I want and these are the things you’ve got to do. At the end of the day, you know, just the lead up to this fight, the promotion stuff had a bunch of things that was a little crazy. Doing camp and, miscommunication with BD and this and that.
It all comes down to the sport. It’s what I signed up for. Even this media day. I’m out here on a media day in LA and I wasn’t even supposed to be here. I was supposed to be on a plane heading over to Rio, but things change. Things happen and you just move on. You take things as they come and just roll with the punches. That’s what you’ve got to do. It’s never, ever going to take my mind off the fight though. The fight is the fight. You’ve got to promote it. If you make a lot of money, you’ve got to promote it. So, it’s helpful knowing that I get paid more and people buy more. it’s great.
Damon Martin: Yes. As you’ve been on the street, Max, you’ve been so dominant. You were the first guy to TKO Anthony Pettis. You had a dominant win over Ricardo Lamas. You chocked out Cub Swanson, guys who are former champions. There’s still guys who are at the top of the sport right now. The last time maybe a guy really pushed you so to speak, you could argue maybe Andre Fili a couple of years ago, or obviously, the fight with Conor when you were dealing with an injury. Do you feel like you can maintain that same level of dominance against a guy like Jose Aldo who has been kind of the reverse? He’s been just as dominant in his career outside of that one fight with Conor.
Max Holloway: Yes. We’ll have to find out, but that’s the confidence, I know I can. I know. It’s not cockiness and everybody keeps saying oh, this kid is cocky. This is it. No. no. just because you don’t believe in yourself, don’t try to bring in negative energy around me. You keep your negative self away from me and I’m going to keep my positive self with my circle of boys and people, and that’s what we’re going to do. We stay confident and I know I’m the greatest. I tell myself I’m the greatest and this is what you need to do. I’m sure you guys don’t wake up in the morning feeling like, hey, I’m a level C MMA reporter. No, you’ve got to believe in yourself and believe that you’re the greatest to ever do it and that’s how I feel. And like you said, the stats, they talk for themselves. Go look at the featherweight stats and records. If name isn’t first, it’s at least in the top three or top five. Like you said, I’m going out there to dominate. This guy over here is saying that he could choose when he wants to be at war and now he’s choosing to finish me early or something. I don’t read palms. I don’t read the stars. I can’t see the future. But at the end of the day, I want the undisputed stuff and I know the things I can control with the undisputed career. I know the things I control is training and the way I prepare for fights. And I just want to be dominant like you say. You look at these last couple of fights, they were dominant wins and I don’t plan on changing anything on June 3rd.
Damon Martin: My last question, Max. Down in Brazil when you did the press conference, you handed him a soccer ball and said, because he’s talking about retirement, talking about going to play soccer, want to give him a gift and help him along in that journey. And I know you said earlier, you can’t get in his head. You can’t predict where his head is at, but do you feel like it in any way? You’re 25. You’re on an incredible win streak. Do you feel like this could be a passing of the torch in a way?
Max Holloway: It could be. The water is going to be clear after June 3rd, I’ll tell you that much. I’m getting ready. You know, I was getting ready for the best, Jose Aldo. So, I hope he’s getting the best version of me and we’re about to find out.
Jack Encarnacao: Hi. Thanks. Max, what do you make of Jose’s belt? He got knocked out by Conor. He beat Frankie and then gave him a belt. You won 10 straight. Do you see why he’s got a belt instead of you just coming in as interim champ?
Max Holloway: Yes. At the end of the day what that’s saying, he got caught 13 seconds, whatever. It happens. This is a sport. He was one of the guys that had a long run. You question some things, like maybe why he didn’t get a rematch and this and that. But he still fought Frankie and dominated for the win. He did it, won it and I hold nothing against him. I don’t care.
Like I said he’s not interested in having a belt. Everybody can get a belt. I don’t care. I want an undisputed career. I want the best damn career. I want to be the best guy ever to do this. When I’m done, a long time from now and people still talking about my name as being the undisputed fighter in the world, not only of the featherweight; It’s the gold, everything. I want to be like Demetrious Johnson, taking pictures with 11 belts. Or even like Joanna with her five belts. It’s cool. I want to be like these guys and just be dominant. I want to make sure there’s no doubt that I was the best to ever do this.
Jack Encarnacao: Even Frankie after he beat Yair Rodriguez saying that if he’s going to get a shot, you probably have to win considering how many times he’s fought Aldo. Do you think that the division is rooting for you to win?
Max Holloway: I don’t know. I really don’t know. They might think I’m an easier fight, that’s why. So, we’ll see what happens. If they’re rooting for me, I’m sure they think that oh, Max is probably an easier fight than Aldo. Hopefully they can do my dirty work for me and then I can go get it.
One thing is for sure, everything looks different from outside the Octagon until you step in there. When people step in there with me, it’s a whole different story.
Jack Encarnacao: We’ve seen your confidence soar and you’ve been much more outspoken about your confidence in recent fights. When in this win streak can you point to, what fight did you come out feeling like the man and you were ready to represent yourself this way?
Max Holloway: It had to be that Singapore fight with Chope. I was backed up in a corner. I had two Ls, two back to back losses and usually when you get your third one, especially to a guy like him, he’s a newcomer coming to the UFC. If I was to lose that fight, I probably would have got my slips. Thank you for your service, come again. And I wasn’t about that life. I know I’m the greatest and like I said, I’m not here to be average and I always want to stick out as a sore thumb. That’s what I’m doing. It’s just confidence. I always had this confidence around me. People weren’t talking to me. Now you guys talking to me and now you guys are seeing a lot more of it. I’m not being anything different. I have a chance to talk a lot more and you guys need to see this confidence. And all these things that I’m saying, I’m not making up. I’m not over here making crazy assumptions, saying crazy stuff. I’m over here speaking facts, speaking the truth, using people’s words against them and having confidence. Just like anything else, you need confidence in anything you do and I have a lot of it.
Jack Encarnacao: Last one for you, Max. You probably saw that he kind of pushed back, Jose Aldo did at the talk about where Aldo and the idea that he was talking schedule sites with you. He’s been trying to fight since December. January, it didn’t happen. March, you never could do it. He mentioned you went to Disneyland. You had to travel. What did you make of his comments? And put it in your quote why this fight hasn’t happened.
Max Holloway: Look, I’m going to hit you guys with the facts here, just facts. Go Google this. We offered him to fight me at NYC or whatever. We were supposed to fight there, but he didn’t want to fight and you know why he didn’t want to fight? He wanted to fight Anthony Pettis because he said he wanted an easier fight. He said the fight with you is too hard. So, you know what we did? We had to fight Anthony Pettis in December. We could have fought in November. And then this guy asked me, he asks me to fight. I think it was a month after or a month and one week after or five weeks after my last fight, to show up to February and I was down. I said yes. I want to fight, but we had no contract. I went to the doctors. I went to the doctors and the doctors didn’t approve me. UFC is not going to let me fight if the doctors don’t approve me. I hurt my ankle. What the hell do you want me to do? And then at the end of the day, it’s funny that you bring this up because it’s - I started to think next holiday. Yes. Come take your Max holidays with me. I’m all for it. When you fight two to four times a year, you deserve time off. That guy wouldn’t know about it. He wasn’t nobody because he never did - like when is the last time he fought more than once? You guys tell me.
Jack Encarnacao: You mean in a year?
Max Holloway: Yes. Once or twice or whatever it is. He gets hurt all the time and he’s out for a bunch of the year. So, come enjoy your Max holidays. When you work hard that’s what you get. You get to enjoy the perks and I was working hard. The doctor wasn’t letting me fight. I wasn’t cleared. I had to go to PT on my ankle for five weeks and that was the whole fight camp. And then I was supposed to not train? That makes no sense.
Akhilesh Gannavarapu: Thank you. Hello, Max. Greetings from India. The first thing I wanted to ask you is the situation with the interim title is still kind of persistent the UFC now with the promotion announcing, you have interim title fight. Not considering you win the undisputed championship at 212, what does it mean for you, especially since you are the interim champion?
Max Holloway: No. like I said before, it is what it is. It’s belts. It’s nice. The belt is great and stuff, but it’s just a belt. I want the undisputed career. I want to be known as the best. So, the belt is great, but at the end of the day, it’s the pay that comes along with it. It’s me cementing my legacy. There are more things behind it than just a belt. It’d be great. I love the belt. Don’t get me wrong.
Akhilesh Gannavarapu: Right, and previously, you talked about how Jose Aldo is kind of taking things personally, but it’s business for you once you’re inside the cage. Now, do you think that would give you the mental edge going in the fight, knowing that Jose, who is, as we all know, one of the greatest of all time, still kind of has this emotional side that he will be getting into the cage?
Max Holloway: I can’t speak for the man. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens when it comes to June 3rd. I’m excited. I’m getting ready for the best Jose Aldo. So, I can’t wait to step in the octagon and look at him, then we’ll go from there.
Akhilesh Gannavarapu: Right. And you’ve built this 10-fight win streak and you’re just 25. You’re still very young. So, can you talk about how the upcoming PPV, the culmination of years of hard work and what this opportunity means to you personally?
Max Holloway: Oh man, this means a lot. This means a lot to headline the card and, especially at a PPV. To do it in this guy’s hometown and potentially having the undisputed title is great. I can’t wait. It’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice, a lot of trials and tribulations. It’s been a road but you can’t step back and smell the flowers just yet. It’s always one foot at a time and I’m not looking too far back. I’m not looking too far forward. When I’m done, retire, I can sit back and smell the roses but right now it’s grind time. It’s great when I think about it, but try not to think about it too much. There’s a lot I want to do in this sport and a lot left I can’t do. That’s what I’m focusing on.
Akhilesh Gannavarapu: Right. And you just talked about how the Singapore fight was important for you and for your career; Now, just before that, your last loss and Jose’s last loss was against the same man. So, I think it would be fair to kind of talk about him, leading up to your fight. Is there any part of you that looks forward to beating Aldo and call Conor McGregor out to avenge your loss?
Max Holloway: Well, I’m going to call the guy out. That guy, he picks and chooses. He picks and chooses his fights. All these guys calling him out are just wasting their time. He’s going to choose who he wants to fight. And at the end of the day, I’m over here working on me. I want to get to that point where I choose who I get to fight. I have all these people calling me out. This guy never talked about, even after he won his title in the division, he never talked about defending or fighting anybody.
Akhilesh Gannavarapu: Okay. One final question for you. Now, Jose previously talked about what he thinks about your stylistic makeup and how the fight will unfold. Do you have any thoughts on how you see this fight going?
Max Holloway: Tune in to the pay-per-view June 3rd, you guys can watch. You guys can watch everything. I don’t have to say anything. Go read - go look at all the stats. Go look at my stats. Go look at Jose Aldo’s stats. Then you guys can tell me how it you think it’ll go.
Spencer Kyte: Hey Max. How much of this frustrated energy that we’re getting now and these facts that you’re spitting comes from a feeling of not getting the respect and recognition you deserve for the performances you’ve had and this 10-fight win streak to carry you to this point?
Max Holloway: It’s life man. It is what it is. You guys back up some guys, this and that. They push more media out on some guys. It’s like, say I’m young. I was 25. You know, I’m 25 too, and then, just because I don’t have a comb over, some nice shoes, a nice pair of shades, they’re not pushing me. It’s not right. Everything comes in due time, and my time’s coming. You guys are going to see. Like I said at 206 after the win, a star is going to be born. And at 212, the story is about to get brighter. That’s the plan.
Spencer Kyte: Do you feel like you’ve been overlooked and there have been missed opportunity and you see some guys that you sit back and question and say, how come I’m not getting pushed, look what I’ve done?
Max Holloway: A question to all you media guys. Do you guys feel that about the push? I should ask you guys the question. I’m over here doing the walking, not just talking the talk. I’m walking the walk.
Spencer Kyte: And last one is just, does this feel then like a moment and an opportunity for you to grab the spotlight and garner that attention that a 10-fight win streak over some of the guys that it has been thus far usually would command?
Max Holloway: Yes, for sure. It is the biggest fight of my life. Every time your next fight is the biggest fight and this is the biggest fight against one of the greatest guys to ever do it in our division. I’m taking full control of this opportunity. The timing wasn’t six fights ago, five fight ago. The timing is now and I’ve got to take full advantage of it.
Kendrick Johnson: How much do you think the fact the he has experience in these type situations will play in advance into this match? Do you think it’s going to come into play in the later rounds or anything or it’s just a separate guy, new guy and all that good stuff?
Max Holloway: I’ve been in some spotlights, you know. I’ve had a five-round fight outside of the UFC and, we’re going to see what happens. I can’t wait to show the world what’s up.
Kendrick Johnson: And you talked about how you hope to begin the position with Conor. Well, you can call (Pete Bob). Do you think people should use him as a blueprint to be a - just not as a champion, but just how to basically make money and what to do in this game that we call MMA?
Max Holloway: No, no. Not at all. People should be who they are. People should be who the hell they want to be. Be yourself. Be real. why are you going to try and do be something different for a couple of bucks? Just be yourself. Be real, you know, and do the media stuff. Do all the stuff that you need to do but be yourself. Don’t try to change. Don’t put this façade to people. Just be real.
Kendrick Johnson: And we know you have your legacy in the back of your mind. With a win over Jose, and say you get that belt on Saturday, will your next goals be to go down as the greatest featherweight of all time, being that you beat the guy who people consider as the greatest featherweight of all time and beat some of his records and title defenses and all that good stuff?
Max Holloway: I don’t know, we’ll see. I’m going out there to fight and bring what I worked on and show you guys what I worked on. That’s like MMA. This guy beat this guy and that guy beat that guy. He’s one more in my legacy. People keep talking about oh, that guy beat that guy. That’s why he can’t beat that guy. No. Every fight is different. Every fighter is different and you’ve got to go against the person. I’ll take a step in the direction where I want to go with a win over Aldo. I can’t wait for the opportunity.
Kendrick Johnson: Have you thought about the emotions that’s going to overcome you?
Max Holloway: Just live in the moment. I visualize it sometimes, but you’ve got to live in it. I’m sure anyone who plays sports, you don’t know how you’re going to react. You think you’re going to react a certain way, winning a championship in whatever sport you play and you do the opposite. These kinds of things, you soak it in and you just take it all in.
Kendrick Johnson: It’s been documented and you’ve pointed out in this conversation how you had a longer, harder road than most fighters. Do you think in the big scheme of things, it’s going to make you more dominant now that you’re on this stage and it’s your time?
Max Holloway: Yes, for sure. Like I said before, everything happens for a reason. These 10 fights had to happen, for a reason. That’s why I don’t get too crazy about it. It has made me better, you know. It made me better as a person and as a fighter in and out the cage. It made me smarter. It made me deal with media more, gradually into it instead of just getting cracked one time with it. There’s a bunch of stuff that has helped. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
UFC 212 Jose Aldo VS Max Holloway will be Live and Exclusive on Sony ESPN HD on June 4th, 2017 at 7:30 AM.
