UFC NEWS: Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo's future in the lightweight division, though manager says move at least a year away

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

When UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo was blasting through opponents in the UFC's sister promotion World Extreme Cagefighting, many fans and writers wanted to see him make a move up to lightweight for super-fights inside the Octagon. Now that the WEC has been folded into the UFC, however, that call has been softened, and Aldo himself isn't quite ready for that move.

According to his manager Ed Soares, in comments made to MMAWeekly.com, Aldo is at least a year away from considering any move up in weight.

"I think that anything is possible. I think right now, he still has some work to be done at 145 pounds. He's a few fights away from being able to say he's cleaned out the division,? Soares said. "I think he's capable of doing that, and (moving to lightweight) is a potential thing that could happen."

"We could see that in a year, year and a half. He would definitely have to put on a little bit of weight and he would have to put on the weight gradually. I think it would be at least a year before we see him fight at 155 lbs."

Though they are looking to continue on at featherweight, Soares said Aldo would be willing to take a fight at lightweight anytime if offered. But regardless of when it happens, Soares believes that Aldo's future will be in the 155 lb. division.

Said Soares, "If he keeps performing and keeps putting on the types of performances that he has put on, I do believe that we will see Jose Aldo at lightweight."

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Penick's Analysis: It's not just Aldo that will likely find his future in a heavier weight class. With how young so many of the fighters are in the featherweight division, many of them are still growing into their frames and will continue to put on weight as they continue in their careers. It's the opposite situation of a lot of the lightweights in the UFC right now, who may begin cutting more weight to reinvent their career at a lower weight class. But with Aldo's dynamic overall game, provided he continues winning the way he has, fans will continue to want to see him fight no matter what division he's in.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8255.shtml

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