Dana White down to give Jose Aldo title shot vs. Henry Cejudo despite UFC 245 loss

LAS VEGAS – Jose Aldo didn’t get the win at UFC 245, but his performance could still get him a title shot against Henry Cejudo.

Aldo (28-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC), a former longtime featherweight champ, suffered a split decision loss to Marlon Moraes in his bantamweight debut on Saturday. It was a narrow decision, but the nod did not go Aldo’s way.

Despite that, though, Dana White might give Aldo a title shot. The UFC president revealed post-fight that 135-pound champ Cejudo (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) texted him asking for the matchup, and he’s willing to make it happen.

“Henry Cejudo texted me tonight and said, ‘That’s bull(expletive). He didn’t lose that fight. He won that fight, and I want to treat him like he did,'” White told reporters at the UFC 245 post-fight news conference. “He wants to fight Jose Aldo.”

White said he thinks Aldo should’ve gotten the nod in the decision against Moraes, which was part of the UFC 245 pay-per-view main card at T-Mobile Arena. Still, though, criticism about considering Aldo for a title shot quickly poured in.

Cejudo is the UFC champion at both bantamweight and flyweight. The dual-champ has been out of action since June due to shoulder surgery, and White has previously said Cejudo’s return will be against Joseph Benavidez at 125 pounds.

There also are worthy contenders at 135 pounds, such as Petr Yan, who improved to 6-0 in the octagon at UFC 245. But White appears to be considering Aldo as the new frontrunner.

“I don’t hate it. I don’t hate it,” White said. “Cejudo is the man right now. If you look at what Cejudo has accomplished, if he says, ‘I want Jose Aldo. I think Jose Aldo won’ … I think Jose Aldo won the fight. Most of the room thought he won. If he wants Jose Aldo next, we could do it. I don’t have a problem with it. I’m sure people would want to see it.”