Iole talks to Aldo’s MDs and coach
When Jose Aldo suffered a rib injury, and had to pull out of the most heavily promoted fight in UFC history, the hardcore fanbase went kind of nutty.
When Jose Aldo suffered a rib injury, and had to pull out of the most heavily promoted fight in UFC history, the hardcore fanbase went kind of nutty. Some people claimed that Aldo could have fought. Others had thought it was a psychological ruse and that he was fine. There were rumors that UFC president Dana White had offered Aldo extra money to fight with a serious injury, but was rebuffed, and was furious. And there was dark speculation about the US MD that said the rib may not be broken, when the Brazilian MD said it was.
And of course UFC featherweight contender Conor McGregor said Aldo’s mother was a hamster and his father smelt of elderberries.
Kevin Iole spoke with all parties involved, and, as is so often the case, the facts are not as interesting as the speculation.
“The UFC never offered us additional money for Aldo to fight, and they did not pressure us,” said Pederneiras. “They let us know that if Aldo could not fight, McGregor would continue on the card, against Chad [Mendes]. And they let us know that because it was the fifth time Aldo withdrew due to injury, they would make it for the interim title. There was no pressure and no offer of any money by the UFC for Aldo to fight. The only disagreement we had was in the diagnosis of the injury, between the doctors we consulted in Brazil, and American doctors. Actually, Dana demonstrated genuine concern for Aldo’s health.
“Despite his broken rib, Aldo tried everything to stay in the fight: He underwent [PRP], had acupuncture treatments, and daily physical therapy. We wanted this fight badly and did everything we could. Unfortunately, after a week of treatment, his pain continued to be very intense, and so we made the difficult decision to withdraw. What matters to us now is that Aldo recover, and return to defend his title 100 percent healthy.”
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The UFC’s Dr. Jeff Davidson received a report from the radiologist in Brazil who had examined Aldo’s MRI and CAT scans.
It read, “There is an irregularity of the left 10th costochondral junction with a radiolucent line on the condral calcification showing minimal edema, suggesting a fracture of the costochondral arch.”
“What happens a lot of the time is the cartilage gets calcified from an old injury, from an injury to the ribs,” said Davidson. “When cartilage heals, it heals by calcification. If you get injured in that area again, that calcified cartilage can break and can look like a fracture line.
“But it’s still the cartilage that’s just become a calcified cartilage.”
“The first thing out of Dana’s mouth,” Davidson said, “was, ‘Aldo, we want you to get better and there is no pressure on you to fight. Go do what the doctors tell you and do your therapy and let us know in five or six days how you’re feeling.’ So at that point, we went through everything and I felt Jose was going to do what he could and then we’d get together again and see how it was coming along.”
Aldo saw several MDs in Brazil, went through PRP treatment for days, but the pain did not lessen, so he was forced to fight another day.
Conor McGregor fights Chad Mendes as UFC 189 on July 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada.