That time when Max Holloway drowned Jose Aldo

[13Seconds]

It must've felt like a nightmare for Aldo. The same thing happening to him twice, in the same round, getting drowned by strikes while throwing back with lethal intentions and having no results...

I would describe Max's dominant performances as the stand up equivalent of a Khabib mauling.

Yeah... What's interesting is that Aldo won the first two rounds on all three scorecards in the first fight and this fight was probably 1-1.

It's just in the third round of both fights he got absolutely DROWNED.

 

[avenue94]

Aldo was fully in his prime. The more amazing performances he had after the Conor-Max losses the more it's proven.

Looking back at the Holloway fights I can't understand how anyone can claim Aldo should be ranked above him in the FW rankings.

Nah he had clearly lost a step or two physically. You don't have a fight like the Mendes rematch and not leave a part of you in the cage. Let alone after fighting for more than a decade.

 

[MeatWagon06]

Aldo was fully in his prime. The more amazing performances he had after the Conor-Max losses the more it's proven.

Looking back at the Holloway fights I can't understand how anyone can claim Aldo should be ranked above him in the FW rankings.

Literally everything you post is wrong.

 

[13Seconds]

Literally everything you post is wrong.

It is kinda tricky to know how close to peak Aldo was in this fight. I don't think he was fully in his prime but he had to be damn close. Even in his prime he liked to take long breaks in his fights to manage energy. People also forget Aldo took this fight on 2 weeks notice.

 

[DoctorDeelon]

Bad matchup for Aldo because Jose fades down the stretch, Max gets stronger.

 

[Koimpact]

What stuck out to me more in this fight (because I'm a biased Aldo fan) was how Aldo realized he would run out of gas and just went for it. Right before this sequence Aldo goes balls out to try and take Max out but Holloway just has a GOAT level chin. Aldo knew he didn't have the gas tank to UD Max or steal the later rounds so if he wanted to win he had to go guns blazing early. Aldo went out on his shield. Fucking GOAT level heart

 

[Schoolboy Q]

Been awhile since I seen the rematch but i only recall Aldo landing a few leg kicks and like one good uppercut, otherwise Max beat his ass. If I remember correctly Aldo was already bleeding after round 1.

 

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Just because a fighter isn't in his prime anymore, doesn't mean that fighter can't still have amazing performances, but i'd have to watch both Max fights as well as some earlier fights of Aldo to give a concrete statement on whether Aldo was still in his prime or not.

Surely Aldo's leg injury (or whatever injury it was that hampered his kicking game) did play a role though, no?

For sure he's lost some speed and his cardio seems a bit more suspect. He's not at his athletic peak. But it's also fair to say he hasn't regressed much. He's still elite.

I think Holloway beats him at any point in his career. Match ups make fights and Holloway is tough enough to weather the storm and wear Aldo down.

 

[SuperAlly]

It is kinda tricky to know how close to peak Aldo was in this fight. I don't think he was fully in his prime but he had to be damn close. Even in his prime he liked to take long breaks in his fights to manage energy. People also forget Aldo took this fight on 2 weeks notice.

Its easy.

When a fighter you like wins they are in their prime.

When they get beat, they are past prime.

Thats pretty much how it works on here.

 

[TheBulge]

Just because a fighter isn't in his prime anymore, doesn't mean that fighter can't still have amazing performances, but i'd have to watch both Max fights as well as some earlier fights of Aldo to give a concrete statement on whether Aldo was still in his prime or not.

Surely Aldo's leg injury (or whatever injury it was that hampered his kicking game) did play a role though, no?

Nah he had clearly lost a step or two physically. You don't have a fight like the Mendes rematch and not leave a part of you in the cage. Let alone after fighting for more than a decade.

Literally everything you post is wrong.

Your arguments are destroyed because of the existence of the Frankie Edgar rematch where the entire MMA community agreed that that was the best performance of Aldo's career. That fight was right inbetween the Conor and Max losses, proving he was still at his best aged 29-31.

He still had all of his great speed, head movement, TDD, BJJ, power, durability etc. The only thing he lacked were kicks which he stopped throwing many fights before even the Conor loss.

In both Holloway fights Aldo looked amazing and was doing great untill Max kept pouring it on and took over. Max and Conor are simply better fighters than him.

Shertards always claim their idol is past his prime the exact moment he finally loses. To keep the mystique alive. Silly kids.

 

[Venom]

Aldo can cut to BW and was considering fighting LWs in 2014. Holloway is a big FW who would probably struggle at LW, just to put things in perspective.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Aldo also had him rocked in that first fight in the first round and the pressure and pace got to him along with non-stop strikes. Max and Aldo are two of my favorite fighters of all time.

I hate that Aldo didn't rely on his grappling at all in those fights. You can see the quality of his takedowns, top game and passing in his fights with Lamas, KZ and against Mendes the second time - outside of his early WEC ground domination of Alexandre and MTB - but you can also see how limited his tank was and how much grappling would have drained him quicker by how easily his cardio faded in both fights.

One thing no one can accuse Aldo of is not being a warrior. He went to battle with both Max twice and Yan in the pocket and didn't back down, to his own detriment unfortunately. How can you not respect the skill and toughness of both these guys?

War Aldo and War Max.

Additionally, if you think Aldo was anywhere near his prime in any of the fights past Mendes II, you didn't see any of his WEC or early run and you're out of your fucking mind.

 

[avenue94]

Your arguments are destroyed because of the existence of the Frankie Edgar rematch where the entire MMA community agreed that that was the best performance of Aldo's career. That fight was right inbetween the Conor and Max losses, proving he was still at his best aged 29-31.

Yes, the best technical performance of his career. A step slower and a leakier gas tank from the Mendes fight though. If you've seen Aldo's career this is plain

In both Holloway fights Aldo looked amazing and was doing great untill Max kept pouring it on and took over. Max and Conor are simply better fighters than him.

It's a bad matchup for Aldo that he likely loses at any point in his career. But you seem ignorant as to what prime means in mma. It's the intersection of physical ability and technical ability. Aldo was clearly slipping in the former while gaining in the latter. Whether or not you think that's Aldo at his best is your opinion but there is no question he was losing his physical gifts. 30 year olds who have been fighting for 12 years just aren't physically the same.

 

[Dude Incredible]

I just watched Holloway/Aldo 2 for the first time since it aired live. God, this fight was so good. Aldo looked phenomenal, but Max did what Max does.

As you can see in this clip Aldo lands some really solid shots, but the storm just never ends.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Yes, the best technical performance of his career. A step slower and a leakier gas tank from the Mendes fight though. If you've seen Aldo's career this is plain

It's a bad matchup for Aldo that he likely loses at any point in his career. But you seem ignorant as to what prime means in mma. It's the intersection of physical ability and technical ability. Aldo was clearly slipping in the former while gaining in the latter. Whether or not you think that's Aldo at his best is your opinion but there is no question he was losing his physical gifts. 30 year olds who have been fighting for 12 years just aren't physically the same.

I'm in the minority here I'm sure, but I think WEC Aldo chops up that lead leg and beats Max. No one can convince me otherwise, lol.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Your arguments are destroyed because of the existence of the Frankie Edgar rematch where the entire MMA community agreed that that was the best performance of Aldo's career. That fight was right inbetween the Conor and Max losses, proving he was still at his best aged 29-31.

He still had all of his great speed, head movement, TDD, BJJ, power, durability etc. The only thing he lacked were kicks which he stopped throwing many fights before even the Conor loss.

In both Holloway fights Aldo looked amazing and was doing great untill Max kept pouring it on and took over. Max and Conor are simply better fighters than him.

Shertards always claim their idol is past his prime the exact moment he finally loses. To keep the mystique alive. Silly kids.

This is a horrible take, lol.

 

[Deleted member 465145]

An incredible fight but it’s such a shame these two didn’t meet prime for prime, I think Aldo changes Max’s career trajectory with a beating if so. Featherweight goat list still has Aldo on top though.

 

[Iron Nick]

For sure he's lost some speed and his cardio seems a bit more suspect. He's not at his athletic peak. But it's also fair to say he hasn't regressed much. He's still elite.

I think Holloway beats him at any point in his career. Match ups make fights and Holloway is tough enough to weather the storm and wear Aldo down.

Yeah that seems to be the consensus.

Your arguments are destroyed because of the existence of the Frankie Edgar rematch where the entire MMA community agreed that that was the best performance of Aldo's career. That fight was right inbetween the Conor and Max losses, proving he was still at his best aged 29-31.

He still had all of his great speed, head movement, TDD, BJJ, power, durability etc. The only thing he lacked were kicks which he stopped throwing many fights before even the Conor loss.

In both Holloway fights Aldo looked amazing and was doing great untill Max kept pouring it on and took over. Max and Conor are simply better fighters than him.

Shertards always claim their idol is past his prime the exact moment he finally loses. To keep the mystique alive. Silly kids.

No reason to be a dickhead.

Aldo also had him rocked in that first fight in the first round and the pressure and pace got to him along with non-stop strikes. Max and Aldo are two of my favorite fighters of all time.

I hate that Aldo didn't rely on his grappling at all in those fights. You can see the quality of his takedowns, top game and passing in his fights with Lamas, KZ and against Mendes the second time - outside of his early WEC ground domination of Alexandre and MTB - but you can also see how limited his tank was and how much grappling would have drained him quicker by how easily his cardio faded in both fights.

One thing no one can accuse Aldo of is not being a warrior. He went to battle with both Max twice and Yan in the pocket and didn't back down, to his own detriment unfortunately. How can you not respect the skill and toughness of both these guys?

War Aldo and War Max.

Additionally, if you think Aldo was anywhere near his prime in any of the fights past Mendes II, you didn't see any of his WEC or early run and you're out of your fucking mind.

Seems fair

 

[TheBulge]

Yes, the best technical performance of his career. A step slower and a leakier gas tank from the Mendes fight though. If you've seen Aldo's career this is plain

But you seem ignorant as to what prime means in mma. It's the intersection of physical ability and technical ability. Aldo was clearly slipping in the former while gaining in the latter. Whether or not you think that's Aldo at his best is your opinion but there is no question he was losing his physical gifts. 30 year olds who have been fighting for 12 years just aren't physically the same.

BOTH technical and physical. He showed superhuman TDD against a cardio monster wrestler in Edgar and his defense, especially his head movement, was speed and explosion based in that fight which is a young man's game. And his chin was still intact as proven in the Holloway fights.

You don't know what you're watching.

There is zero, absolutely ZERO argument for Aldo being past his prime at that point in any way. The only difference was less of a kicking game but again, he already pretty much stopped kicking since WEC.

It's a bad matchup for Aldo that he likely loses at any point in his career.

Your only accurate statement so far.

So then quit trying to discredit Holloway with that age old "my fav fighter became past his prime the moment he lost a fight" shertardism.

 

[avenue94]

I'm in the minority here I'm sure, but I think WEC Aldo chops up that lead leg and beats Max. No one can convince me otherwise, lol.

I think that's Aldo's best chance to beat Holloway, but I can't put money on a game plan of "Do crippling damage in 2 rounds ands survive the next three and win one of those." At least at the high levels I can't get behind the odds of a plan like that. Although I suppose Volkonovski's success with leg kicks is promising, but still, such a narrow path to victory.