Jose Aldo defends featherweight title
— -- NEWARK, N.J. -- Jose Aldo is running out of things to prove at 145 pounds.
The UFC featherweight champion was dominant again on Saturday, defending his title for the sixth time via unanimous decision over Ricardo Lamas at UFC 169 at the Prudential Center.
"Ricardo Lamas was a tough guy," Aldo said. "He never gave up. He pushed me hard until the last round, but I showed all my skills, especially Brazilian jiu-jitsu."
Aldo (24-1) took four of five rounds, according to judges Ricardo Almeida, Eric Colon and Cardo Urso, resulting in identical scores of 49-46. His signature leg kicks were a major weapon again against Lamas (13-3), who made his first appearance in the Octagon since a win against Erik Koch last January.
The title fight got off to a bit of a slow start. Aldo calmly walked Lamas down as he patrolled the perimeter of the Octagon. When Aldo did attack, it was with lightning speed. He spun Lamas completely around with several outside leg kicks and continually went to the body with punches, particularly in the early rounds.
Lamas hid the effects of those leg kicks well, as he continued to bounce on his lead leg -- but the challenger revealed a visible limp once the fight was finished.
Aldo came closest to a finish in the third, when he took Lamas down with an outside trip and eventually moved to full mount. Lamas elected to give up his back, where Aldo worked for a rear-naked choke but couldn't secure it.
Lamas made attempts of his own to take the fight to the ground, but struggled with Aldo's athleticism. At one point in the third, he lifted Aldo completely off the ground for several seconds, but still couldn't bring him down.
His best moments came late, as he swept from the bottom and took top position with half of the final round remaining. Aldo, however, seemed content in tying him up from his back and riding it out to the bell, which he did relatively effectively.
The Brazilian has looked virtually unbeatable in the Octagon, knocking off high-profile challengers, including Kenny Florian, Chad Mendes and Frankie Edgar.
Prior to Saturday, Aldo expressed interest in a move to 155 pounds, which UFC president Dana White "green lit" during his interviews with media. Aldo reaffirmed his desire to move up after his win.
"I'm considering a move to another division, but before I make a decision I should talk to my manager and my family," Aldo said.
Lamas suffers his first loss in the UFC, dropping his overall record with the promotion to 4-1.
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