With an MMA record of 17-1, it isn’t difficult to see why the unstoppable Jose Aldo is arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world.
The WEC featherweight champion has demolished the competition with knockout after knockout leaving a long trail of victims.

Elie: Congratulations on your great victory over Urijah Faber at WEC 48, what were your thoughts on the fight?
Jose: I think I did my job well in that fight, I did what we trained to do.

Elie: You totally dominated him for 5 rounds, was the game plan to keep the fight standing?
Jose: I like to stand and exchange with my opponent, and Urijah is known to be a wrestler, I like to dictate the fight and kept that fight on our feet.

Elie: You’re also a BJJ black belt, but we haven’t seen much of your ground game, do you prefer to keep the fight standing?
Jose: I believe in my Jiu-Jitsu skills, but I like to keep the fight standing and strike.

Elie: First time you went 5 rounds in your MMA career, how did your cardio feel?
Jose: I felt great, I train to go 5 rounds and I felt very prepared.

Elie: What goes through your head as you stand in the cage waiting for the fight to start?
Jose: My mind is clear, I am just thinking about executing my game plan and getting my job done in the cage.

Elie: Who were some of the people who helped you prepare for this fight?
Jose: As always I trained with my team Nova Uniao under Andre Pederneiras and our teammates Marlon Sandro, Thales Leites, Ronys Torres and others.

Elie: What have you been doing since the fight?
Jose: I took some time off to help my friend Marcos Galvao train, and now I am back in the gym training.

Elie: Manny Gamburyan is undefeated in the WEC, any interest in fighting him?
Jose: Many people have been asking me about Manny Gamburyan, but I don’t know who I am facing next, it is up to the WEC.

Elie: You’re only 23, you’re undefeated in the WEC, the featherweight champion, dominated all your opponents, what’s next for you?
Jose: I want to keep defending my belt, and hope to fight against the best opponents in my division.

Elie: Any interest in going up weight to fight WEC lightweight champ Ben Henderson or going down weight to fight WEC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz? If so, what are your thoughts on the fights?
Jose: For now I want to defend my belt, but I have no plans in moving up or down in weight.

Elie: UFC is stacked with lightweights, is that something you have thought about, going across to the UFC to fight in the lightweight division?
Jose: I have thought about it but my coach doesn’t like the idea, I want to defend my belt, nobody is going to take it away.

Elie: Fighters sacrifice a lot when training and preparing for a fight, what’s that important that keeps you going?
Jose: Defending my belt, defending what is mine, what I have dreamed about, that is my motivation.

Elie: You’ve had a pretty tough upbringing in Brazil, for the readers who haven’t heard your story, can you give us a brief rundown?
Jose: I was born and raised in Manaus, capital of Amazonas state. My family was very humble with little money. I grew up playing soccer like most kids in Brazil and ventually moved on to Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu allowed me to go to Rio, where I live now.

Elie: Thank you for the interview.
Jose: Thank you.