Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo isn’t convinced that an undefeated record is enough to earn Movsar Evloev a title shot, and he’s made his stance pretty clear ahead of Evloev’s title fight against Alexander Volkanovski this Saturday. In fact, the UFC Hall of Famer went as far as saying he would cut Evloev from the UFC roster if he were in charge, regardless of whether the Russian continued winning his fights.

“The UFC isn’t just an organization that has to follow a ranking system. It’s a business; it’s entertainment. It’s not a matter of, ‘I’m number one, so I have to fight for the title.'” Aldo told MMAFighting’s Guilherme Cruz. “No. Evloev is ranked No. 1 in the division, if I’m not mistaken, and if I were the president, I’d never put him in there.”

According to Aldo, despite an undefeated record and 10 straight wins in the Dana White-led promotion, Movsar Evloev still has to do more to convince everyone that he deserves a title shot.

The Russian is currently 20-0 overall, but all 10 of his UFC victories have come by decision. And for the former featherweight champion, that’s a problem.

The Brazilian believes winning fights isn’t always enough in a promotion where drawing fans and selling events matter just as much as results inside the Octagon.

“He could beat everybody,” he continued. “I’d wait for him to lose for the first time and then cut him because he’s a guy who doesn’t sell, a guy who puts on boring fights, a guy who doesn’t draw attention, who just stays inactive.

“So why would I give him that opportunity? I want to sell out my arena. I want my event to grow. There’s a lot involved.”

Jose Aldo also had an example of the kind of fighter he believes the UFC should be pushing: Jean Silva. The Brazilian sees Silva’s aggressive style and entertaining performances as the sort of qualities that get fans invested and help sell fights.

“Jean Silva could lose three fights, but he’s a guy who comes forward, a guy who puts on a show,” Aldo said. “That’s what fans want to see.”

The 40-year-old also pointed to Alex Pereira as proof of how much star power matters in the UFC.

“‘Poatan’ was already almost 35 when he joined the UFC, and he kept growing. He became champion in one division and then champion in another,” Aldo continued. “And in terms of technical skills, let’s be honest, he doesn’t have an all-around skill set.

“He has a good level of kickboxing. His kickboxing is excellent, world-class. But let’s look at it: his wrestling is still developing, he’s still training his ground game, and he’s still developing in that area. So there are certain things he still needs to work on.”

Jose Aldo isn’t the only former champion questioning Movsar Evloev’s position. Demetrious Johnson also raised eyebrows over the attention surrounding the undefeated Russian, questioning how a fighter with a 20-0 record and no UFC finishes could be in line for a title shot while Michael ‘Venom’ Page had been shown the door.

The Russian now has a chance to silence the doubters inside the Octagon when he faces Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. A statement-making finish could go a long way toward changing the narrative around his fighting style.

But if he claims the belt with another decision win, the questions about his entertainment value may not disappear, even with championship gold around his waist.

However, there could be more to Jose Aldo’s criticism of Evloev than just his lack of finishes, as the Brazilian legend might have another reason for taking aim at the undefeated Russian.

Movsar Evloev previously accused Jose Aldo and other UFC legends of declining after drug testing

The Russian had previously taken a shot at the Brazilian legend’s legacy, making controversial comments about how several former UFC champions performed after stricter drug testing was introduced in the UFC.

Speaking to MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn on the BohnFire podcast last month, the 32-year-old had suggested that Aldo, Anderson Silva, and Anthony Pettis all declined after drug testing was made rigorous, with Jon Jones being the only fighter he believed who maintained his level.

“Aldo was great until they did doping tests. Then he went down,” Evloev said. “Everybody knows. I think only Jon Jones stayed at the same level after the doping tests. Everybody else went down, like (Anderson) Silva and (Anthony) Pettis.

“Pettis was great before they started testing. Yeah, they are talented, but it looks like the stuff they used helped them, like Vitor Belfort. I respect all these fighters, but we know the story, right?”

The Russian’s comments refer to a major shift in the UFC’s approach to drug testing. In 2015, the promotion partnered with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), introducing a more comprehensive and stricter program that included year-round, unannounced testing.

Before that, testing was largely handled by athletic commissions, with fighters typically tested around their bouts. The change brought greater scrutiny to several high-profile fighters and sparked plenty of debate about how the sport had evolved.

So, it seems like the Brazilian MMA legend’s latest rant on Movsar Evloev was likely a response to the Russian’s statement about him. And while Jose Aldo believes Movsar Evloev’s lack of excitement should count against him, the Russian’s undefeated record makes it difficult to question his ability to win fights.

Still, recent UFC roster decisions suggest that a strong record may not always be enough. The Dana White-led promotion has recently parted ways with Michael ‘Venom’ Page, who went 5-1 in the UFC, and Farid Basharat, who held a 7-0 record, raising fresh questions about how much entertainment value and finishing ability matter in the Paramount+ era.

If the UFC’s goal is to keep the best fighters in the world competing under its banner, the departures of Page and Basharat are bound to spark debate. And with Movsar Evloev facing similar criticism over his decision-heavy style, the question is whether his perfect record will be enough to keep him in the promotion’s good graces.