Jose Aldo has admitted that a rematch between him and Conor McGregor is unlikely.
The former UFC featherweight champ was dethroned by the Dubliner in December 2015 as McGregor completed his incendiary rise through the ranks.
After a cancelled UFC 189 bout and months of build-up, it took McGregor just 13 seconds to knock out the Brazilian in Las Vegas in a moment that sealed his status as the UFC's top star.
The pair went in a different direction in the months and years afterwards as McGregor moved up to lightweight and welterweight and took on the likes of Nate Diaz and Eddie Alvarez.
Meanwhile Aldo, who won 25 of 26 pro bouts before crossing paths with McGregor, never quite reached the same heights as he lost five of his next eight outings.
And in an interview with MMA Fighting, Aldo has revealed that he doesn't see himself locking eyes with his former rival as he insisted he's now rooting for him in his recovery from a broken ankle.
“No, I don’t see myself fighting Conor. Never, I think. I can even say that. It might happen tomorrow, but that’s not the path,” Aldo said.
“I root for him today, I hope he recovers from the injury and fights again at the highest level and becomes champion again, because that way he and I will always be together.
“No matter if I’m down and he’s up or the other way around, people will always put out names together, and that way we carry each other up.”
Now fighting at bantamweight, Aldo looks to have found his feet once again after scoring wins over Marlon Vera and Pedro Munhoz in the past nine months.
With McGregor plying his trade at lightweight - some twenty pounds more - it seems unlikely that fans will relive their epic rivalry in the near future.
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