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Jose Aldo is looking to get back inside the boxing ring in 2027, but it’ll come down to UFC’s approval.

Aldo has retired from pro MMA competition twice, earning world titles at featherweight and a UFC Hall of Fame induction along the way. Following Aldo’s second retirement, he still had bouts remaining on his UFC deal. If the legendary Brazilian fighter wishes to fight elsewhere, he’ll need the promotion’s blessing.

Aldo doesn’t seem too worried about it, as he told MMAFighting.com that UFC CEO Dana White has told him he’d be allow to return to boxing if he has something set up. Aldo is eyeing a bout under the Spaten Fight Night banner.

“Thank God, athletes are well compensated at Spaten, so that’s very good,” Aldo said. “It’s no coincidence that any athlete who comes in, for the amount they offer you, you fight. Unlike any other event that comes up and says you’re going to fight an influencer or something like that. Please, come on. Spaten is totally different, so I talked to them a lot. The thing is, I have to ask the UFC for permission because I have three fights left on my contract there, and I don’t know when those three fights are going to expire. So that was it. But I came very close.”

Aldo wasn’t afraid to admit that big payouts are what’s driving him towards a return to the sweet science. In fact, he’ll only compete if a certain pay grade is met.

“Boxing is much more possible for us to do, because I know I’m going to make a lot more money,” Aldo continued. “That’s what matters. If an opportunity comes up, like it did, whenever one comes up I say, ‘For me to fight, it’s this much.’ If you don’t want it, I don’t care. I want X amount. If you want me to fight, it’s this much. If you don’t, brother, you can leave me here because I’m happy taking care of my family, being a regular family man.”

Someone with Aldo’s name would certainly draw attention, and he seems to be confident that Spaten Fight Night is the right landing spot. The promotion recently booked a boxing match between MMA legends Glover Teixeira and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Aldo is 1-0-1 as a pro boxer with a unanimous decision win over Esteban Gabriel Espindola and a majority draw against Jeremy Stephens. Aldo also has an exhibition unanimous decision win over Emmanuel Zambrano.

What do you make of Jose Aldo’s plan to return to boxing? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM