Jose Aldo isn’t finished competing, as the featherweight UFC legend has found a new challenge.
Aldo announced Thursday that he’ll face former bantamweight title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera in a submission-only grappling match at Hype FC on October 4th.
Aldo broke the news himself on X, posting the matchup poster:
😎🔥
MARLON VERA 🇪🇨 VS JOSÉ ALDO🇧🇷
Quito, Ecuador
October 4 pic.twitter.com/6gEG2uhQJd
— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) August 27, 2026
Turning 40 on September 9th, Aldo isn’t easing into retirement quietly, as he will be returning to competition just weeks after his birthday.
This will be his first appearance since a unanimous decision loss to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315 this past May, a result that ultimately factored into his decision to step away from the sport.
Aldo first retired following a loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 and briefly explored boxing before returning to the UFC in May 2024, picking up a strong win over Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in Brazil.
From there, things grew more difficult, including a heavily criticized split decision loss to Mario Bautista at UFC 307 and a close defeat to Zahabi that many felt could have gone the other way.
Aldo has already beaten Vera once, taking a unanimous decision over him back in December 2020 – and this matchup gives him a chance to add a second chapter to that rivalry.
Of Aldo’s 32 career wins, only two have come by submission, suggesting grappling exchanges haven’t traditionally been his strongest area.
Vera, by comparison, has ten submission wins and is seven years younger.
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