Despite an interview to the contrary, UFC President Dana White said featherweight champ Jose Aldo (24-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) wasn’t playing when he shoved Chad Mendes (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) earlier this week at a press conference in Brazil in support of their rematch at UFC 179.

“He said he didn’t fake it, (that) the push was real,” White told UFC.com.

Aldo reportedly told Brazilian media outlet UOL Esporte that he got physical with Mendes to hype the fight and later regretted it. But White said Aldo’s words mere mixed up when the interview was translated to English.

“This has happened before,” White told UFC.com. “Aldo said, ‘That’s not what I said.’

“Every time they say something in Portuguese and it gets translated into English – I got a call that (Renan) Barao had come out and said he wasn’t being paid enough money. So we called him, and he told me he never said that – it gets mixed up in translation.”

UFC 179 takes place Oct. 25 at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro. The event’s main-card airs live on pay-per-view and features a headliner between Aldo and Mendes. The two first fight in January 2012 with Aldo winning via first-round KO.

Whether intentional or not, the shoving incident attracted additional interest from the media, which could translate to more business at the box office for the UFC.

Today on MMAjunkie Radio, Duane Ludwig, who coaches Mendes along with bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw, recounted a conversation with the featherweight title challenger that backed White’s version of the story.

According to Ludwig, the shove was preceded by Mendes’ threat to the champ.

“Chad said he was going to kick his ass, and then Aldo pushed him,” Ludwig said. “That’s the story I got. But Chad’s going to take his belt.”

Ludwig regretted not being in Brazil to stop the incident from happening. Currently, the coach is readying Dillashaw for his rematch with former kingpin Barao at Saturday’s UFC 177.

Even if Aldo wants to promote his fights so there is more interest, and ultimately more compensation, White said he shouldn’t try.

“Chael (Sonnen) had it. Conor McGregor has it. This guy can fight and talk. I think some of the guys that can’t talk as well as others think they have to talk more. No you don’t. You need to be a great fighter.

“As long as you’re a great fighter, nobody gives a s–t about that other stuff. Yes, some guys may stand out a little more, but if you have the talent, you’re going to get where you want to go anyway.”

For more on UFC 179, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.