Jose Aldo lost a close split decision to Marlon Moraes in his bantamweight debut at UFC 245, but still hopes to fight for the 135-pound title next.

The former featherweight king believes he deserved the win on Saturday, but Michael Bell was the only judge who scored it in his favor. Judges Mark Smith and Eric Colon saw it 29-28 for Moraes, and Aldo can’t understand how.

“He had some good 30 seconds in the beginning of the first round, a great start, and after that I dominated him,” Aldo told MMA Fighting on Monday. “I almost knocked him out with two combos, he got dizzy and closed the distance, I lost balance and ended up on bottom on the ground, but he only had 10 seconds left and did nothing. Everybody thinks he won the first round, but I can’t see that.

“Rounds two and three were clear for me. I was the only one landing in the second, and walked forward the entire time in the third, landing jabs and answering everything he tried to do. I don’t know how I lost this fight. I don’t know how anyone saw him winning. I think I won all rounds. I respect Marlon, but I can’t see this result.”

When the fight was over and Bruce Buffer announced split scores, Aldo thought “there’s something wrong.”

“We celebrated it as a win as soon as the third round was over,” Aldo said. “It’s so frustrating. You go on a diet, you do everything you have to do and this happens. You think about giving up, you think a million things.

“I knew I would win before it was over. When someone yelled there was a minute left I thought, ‘I won.’ (Moraes) has his history, but he ran from the fight. I could hear Anderson (Franca, Moraes’ muay thai coach) asking him to throw combinations, kicks, punches, to do something, and he did nothing. He just tried to throw something to keep me away from him, you know?

“He was scared, his eyes were different. The guy didn’t want to fight. Fans were booing and I was putting pressure the entire time. I don’t know how they came up with that result. I’m the most honest guy in the world. If I think I lost, like the (Alexander) Volkanovski fight, I’ll say I lost. But I don’t think I lost this fight.”

The Nova Uniao star says he was so comfortable in the bout he started joking with his longtime coach Andre Pederneiras between rounds, knowing “the fight was in my hands,” but doesn’t think he lacked killer instinct.

“I went (for the finish), but it’s hard to fight when the other person doesn’t want to,” Aldo said. “If someone just runs away, it’s not only up to me. I tried. I went forward the entire time. I was attacking. If the other person doesn’t want to fight, there’s no fight. … I’ve never seen someone win a fight by walking backwards, afraid of getting knocked out.”

In the end, Aldo says “I knew I was going to win a fight, and I won, but they didn’t give it to me.” That doesn’t change his plans for the future, though. After sharing the cage with one of the division’s most dangerous strikers in Moraes, Aldo believes future is bright at 135 pounds.

“I will beat everyone,” Aldo said. “I will become the bantamweight champion.”

The morning after UFC 245, Henry Cejudo voiced on social media he wanted to defend his 135-pound gold against Aldo in Brazil.

This is a public service announcement from Triple C to the self proclaim “King of Rio”. @josealdojunior @danawhite @ufc pic.twitter.com/bkrLUcgyC0 — Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) December 15, 2019

UFC’s upcoming trip to Brazil is a Fight Night card scheduled for March 14 in Brasilia, Brazil. The company is also expected to hold an event in the country some time in May.

Aldo would have no problem making 135 pounds in March, he said, and urges the UFC to give “Triple C” a contract to sign.

“If it’s in March or May, it doesn’t matter to me,” Aldo said. “I just want him to sign the contract so we can fight. I’ll start my diet and do whatever it takes.”