Thursday 9 July 2015 14:39, UK
Jose Aldo has laughed off criticism of UFC rival Conor McGregor and says his upcoming fight with Chad Mendes will be for nothing more than a 'toy belt'.
Irishman McGregor was due to take on Aldo for his featherweight title at UFC 189 in Las Vegas later this month, but the champion has been forced to withdraw from their contest with a rib injury.
McGregor launched a verbal attack on Aldo, claiming the Brazilian needed to 'toughen up' but Aldo says he has proof of the severity of his injury amid unsubstantiated claims he was looking to avoid the fight.
With Aldo sidelined, McGregor will instead take on Chad Mendes for a newly-created interim title, but Aldo says it is a meaningless prize and taunted the Irishman in a lengthy tirade.
He said: "For three months, I trained three times a day. I invested my time and money, bringing training partners from Brazil and other countries, to do the best training camp of my life so I would be ready to defend by belt for the eighth time on July 11.
"Unfortunately, I fractured my rib during a training session, which I can prove from an official medical report, and besides trying my best to fight, I was forced the other way and that made me really sad. Only I, my family, coaches and team-mates know how hard I worked to represent Brazil again.
"I can’t agree with UFC’s decision to have an interim champion in my division citing the five opportunities that I couldn’t defend my belt.
"As for my opponent, who told me to step up and fight like a man, I can’t say anything about a man that imitates a TV series character (Travis Fimmel, from Vikings). That’s really who he wanted to be, because he’s probably ashamed of being who he really is, so he imitates his lines, his style and this actor’s tattoos.
He’s an artist, but not from martial arts, but cheap comedy. It’s disrespectful with the actor, and with real athletes.
"He should look for a stage and not an Octagon. The Octagon is my kingdom and there’s place for only one king, which is me. If he wants to participate, he can be the joker he already is.
"If he beats Chad Mendes, the only thing he will have is a toy belt to show his drunk friends in his country’s bars, because that’s what an interim belt represents to me: a toy. I am the champion."
