Short answer? Jose Aldo is a Rio de Janeiro guy. He was born in Manaus, but he fights out of Rio, and his team is listed as Nova União. If you’re wondering where he’d be if you wanted to find him in camp, Rio is the safe bet.
| L | Aiemann ZahabiDecision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 | UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della MaddalenaMay 10, 2025 |
| L | Mario BautistaDecision - Split · R3 5:00 | UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr.Oct 5, 2024 |
| W | Jonathan MartinezDecision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 | UFC 301: Pantoja vs. ErcegMay 4, 2024 |
| L | Merab DvalishviliDecision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 | UFC 278: Usman vs. EdwardsAug 20, 2022 |
| W | Rob FontDecision - Unanimous · R5 5:00 | UFC Fight Night: Font vs. AldoDec 4, 2021 |
So where is Aldo actually from?
Manaus, in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. He was born there on September 9, 1986. That makes him 40 today.
But Manaus isn’t where the fighter we know was built. At 17, he moved to Rio with only his clothes and the determination to train MMA until he achieved something.
Honestly, that’s the part most fans remember. And it explains why Rio feels like his city even though his birth certificate says otherwise.
What was those early Rio days like?
Rough. He moved to train under coach Andre Pederneiras at Nova União. He ended up sleeping on the same mats he rolled on every day.
He’s talked about it himself. “The hardest time in my career was when I was living out of the gym, in Rio.”
Later he got help from teammates. He moved from the old Nova União mats into the slums, always helped by teammates. Marlon Sandro invited him to sleep at his house before fights. Sandro was described then as one of Aldo’s leading coaches.
So when you hear “Nova União,” think family as much as gym.
Which gym does he train at now?
Here’s where we have to be careful. Nova União is still his listed team. Tapology lists his affiliation as Nova União. Wikipedia lists Pederneiras as his trainer.
But I couldn’t find a recent, confirmed report naming the exact gym he used for his latest preparation. So I won’t guess.
Two older details help fill in the picture:
- A UFC feature once found him arriving early at the Upper Gym in Rio’s Flamengo neighborhood. That story is years old, so treat it as history, not a current address book.
- Before UFC 212 in 2017, he wrapped up camp in his home gym.
Does that mean he still splits time the same way? We can’t say. It’s not publicly confirmed.
Quick facts
| Item | What’s reported |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil |
| Fights out of | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Team | Nova União |
| Longtime head coach | André Pederneiras |
| Current exact gym for camps | Not publicly confirmed |
What fans usually get wrong
You’ll find a stray site or two that lists his residence as Manaus. One stats site, for example, shows Manaus as his residence. Most fight databases and outlets put him in Rio, and that matches his whole story.
So why the mix-up? Probably because birthplace and residence get blended in automatic profiles. And he hasn’t, as far as I can find, announced a move back north.
One more thing. We’re keeping this to the city level. His exact neighborhood and home are private, and they should stay that way.
What’s he been up to lately?
If you’ve been wondering whether he’s still active, here’s the update. He retired from MMA after a unanimous-decision loss to Aiemann Zahabi at UFC 315 on May 10, 2025.
But he isn’t done with competing. On October 4, 2026, he drew with Marlon Vera in a 10-minute grappling match at Hype Fighting in Quito, Ecuador. It was submission-only, so takedowns and ground control earned no points.
Where did he prepare for that one? We don’t know. I didn’t find a confirmed camp location for it, so I’m not going to invent one.
One outlet mentioned reported plans for a possible 2027 boxing return. Treat that as unconfirmed until Aldo or a promotion makes it official.
How does this compare to other stars?
It’s interesting next to fighters who moved across the world for camp. If you like this kind of thing, check out where Khabib Nurmagomedov lives and trains. Or see how Georges St-Pierre’s setup looks.
Aldo’s story is closer to a one-city story. A kid shows up in Rio, sleeps at the gym, and builds a Hall of Fame career around one team. We don’t see that as often anymore, do we?
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Jose Aldo live?
He’s widely reported as based in Rio de Janeiro. Tapology lists him as fighting out of Rio. His exact neighborhood isn’t public, and we won’t guess.
What gym does Jose Aldo train at?
His listed team is Nova União, and his longtime coach is Andre Pederneiras. The exact gym he used for his most recent preparation hasn’t been publicly confirmed.
Is Jose Aldo still fighting?
He’s retired from MMA. He returned to competition by drawing with Marlon Vera in a grappling match in Quito. No further bout was confirmed in what I found.
Did Jose Aldo ever train outside Brazil?
I didn’t find a confirmed, detailed report on that, so I can’t say. What we do know is that Rio has been the center of his career since his teens.
So that’s the map: Manaus is where he’s from, and Rio is where he’s made his name. If we get a confirmed update on his gym or his next fight, we’ll pass it along. Thanks for reading, and come back soon.
Sources
- Wikipedia: José Aldo
- Tapology: José Aldo
- Fightful: Jose Aldo, Appreciating The King Of Rio
- UFC.com: In Brazil Aldo is King, honed by humble roots
- MMA Weekly: UFC 212 Embedded
- The World MMA Awards: Jose Aldo
- Fightsports: Jose Aldo Set For First Fight Since UFC Retirement
- Sherdog: Jose Aldo returns after 17 months, grapples Marlon Vera to draw
- Affpapa: Vera vs Aldo ends in a draw at HYPE Fighting Quito
- MiddleEasy: Aldo, Vera Grappling Match Ends in Draw
- Champinon: Jose Aldo profile
Last updated: October 2026
