Jafel Filho, inspired by Jose Aldo‘s retirement, feels a strong responsibility to uphold their team’s legacy as he prepares to fight Allan Nascimento at UFC Vegas 107, aiming for a third consecutive UFC finish.
With Jose Aldo hanging up the gloves after a legendary career as UFC and WEC featherweight king, Jafel Filho feels a heightened responsibility when it’s his turn to step into the octagon. As a teammate of Aldo at Nova União, Filho faces Allan Nascimento at UFC Vegas 107 on Saturday. He shared with MMA Fighting that the Rio de Janeiro team must now carry the torch to uphold Aldo’s legacy.
“He helps everybody,” Filho said about Aldo. “Aldo retired, and it makes you reflect. Early in my career, all I wanted was to meet Aldo, and now I can call him a brother. I got emotional and cried when he retired, grateful for witnessing parts of his career and helping him in some camps. I’ve never seen anyone smarter and more dedicated in training. Now, the responsibility is ours to carry that legacy.”
Filho was deeply moved watching Aldo retire at UFC 315 in Montreal. He recalls the day Aldo told him he had the potential to become a UFC champion. “He called me after training and said, ‘Pastor, you have great chances at becoming champion.’ That stuck with me. I never imagined I’d be next to him, and now he’s encouraging me. It was like a switch flipped in my head. ‘Yeah, I can do it too. Let’s go!’”
Filho’s next UFC challenge comes over a year after his last bout, a bonus-winning first-round submission over Ode Osbourne at the UFC APEX. He was set to face Nascimento in August 2024, but Nascimento withdrew last minute due to illness.
During that time, Filho focused on his newborn and later returned for a grappling win over top-ranked UFC flyweight Amir Albazi in December. He’s been eagerly awaiting a UFC fight since. At one point, Filho thought he might face Albazi again, but the promotion chose to revisit the Nascimento matchup. Meanwhile, Albazi headlines against Tatsuro Taira.
Filho and “Puro Osso” have a knack for submissions, with 25 tapouts in 36 victories combined. Filho hopes to secure his third straight finish in the UFC after making Daniel Barez and Osbourne tap in consecutive fights. “I believe my game is more aggressive,” Filho said. “I have 16 wins, only one by decision. I go for the finish. It’s going to be a fun fight because we’re both well-rounded. It could be like a kickboxing match or a jiu-jitsu tournament.”
“I’ve watched Allan for years; he was a name in the division in Brazil. Now he’s in my way, and we have to overcome that obstacle. This fight could’ve happened years ago in Brazil, but it’s great it’s happening now in the UFC.”