UFC president Dana White said that the reason Jose Aldo (27-4-0) will not headline “UFC Fortaleza” is because the former featherweight champion didn’t want to fight five rounds with fellow brazilian Renato Moicano (13-1-1).
“UFC Fortaleza” will take place on Feb. 2 at Centro de Formacao Olimpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Brazil.
There were a lot of questions why “Scarface” won’t be in the main event, but according to White, Aldo wasn’t willing to go for 25 minutes.
“I agree 100 percent that Aldo should be the main event,” White told reporters,at the post-fight interview at UFC 232. “He wanted to be the co-main event. He didn’t want to fight five rounds – he wanted three. … That should be the main event, five rounds – that should be the fight. But he said, ‘I want a three-round fight,’ and you don’t say no to Jose Aldo.”
Instead, the main event will be headlined by a rematch between bantamweight contenders Raphael Assuncao (27-5) and Marlon Moraes (21-5-1).
The first face-off between UFC Fortaleza headliners Raphael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes ahead of their rematch on Feb. 2. (Photo via UFC) pic.twitter.com/NaBVPzcwmZ
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) December 13, 2018
The winner from the main event will become the №1 contender for the T.J. Dillashaw’s bantamweight belt.