Aiemann Zahabi gets 100% real about Jose Aldo soccer kicking him during their UFC 315 fight

Aiemann Zahabi recently opened up about how close he was to taste defeat after Jose Aldo soccer kicked him during their matchup at UFC 315. Zahabi considered himself very fortunate to survive that fight sequence.

Initially scheduled as a bantamweight contest, Zahabi's bout with Aldo at UFC 315 was moved up to featherweight after the Brazilian was found overweight. It was an entertaining fight throughout, which saw the Canadian prevail via unanimous decision.

The most notable moment came in the third round, when Aldo stunned Zahabi with a strong right, followed by a knee which dropped the 37-year-old. The former champion immediately struck a soccer kick to the head before chasing him across the cage and landing another head kick. However, Zahabi displayed his tenacity and managed to survive the final round.

In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Zahabi expressed his thoughts on getting soccer kicked by Aldo, saying:

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''I got soccer kicked on one side of the octagon, then I ran to the other side of the octagon and got soccer kicked again. Then I found my footing, hit him with a couple of one-two, slowed him down, hit him with another one-two, stopped him in his tracks, you know. Two soccer kicks in a row, not bad. I thank God for that. Maybe he saved me from going out. I was conscious the whole time. I just had no control over my body. That's why I was fumbling around.''

Check out Aiemann Zahabi's comments below:

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Zahabi is now on a six fight win streak following his win over Aldo. He will look to climb up the bantamweight rankings and earn a potential title shot in near future.

Jose Aldo retires from MMA after losing to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315

During the UFC 315 post-fight octagon interview following his defeat against Aiemann Zahabi, Jose Aldo announced his decision to walk away from the sport.

In a further X post, Aldo explained that the physical strain on his body was a primary factor in his decision to hang up his gloves, writing:

''This may have been my last time inside the Octagon. This week, I faced one of the biggest battles of my life, and it wasn’t against an opponent, but within myself...I trained as I always did, gave…more than I ever had. But while cutting weight, something inside me said: “You don’t need to do this anymore.'' And I listened. It’s time to move forward.''

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About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena