If he's not the featherweight GOAT, he'll do until the featherweight GOAT gets here.

Jose Aldo retired Sunday at the age of 36. Assuming it sticks, the surefire Hall of Famer rides off into the MMA sunset with a 31-8 record and extended featherweight title reigns in the WEC and UFC, where he defended the strap seven times—the most of any featherweight and tied for fifth for the longest such streak in company history.

Aldo has toyed with the idea of retiring from MMA and perhaps taking up boxing—something that could still be on the table—for several years now. Still, the exact timing of the announcement came as a surprise to most onlookers.

That won't stop us from celebrating a legendary career. "Legendary" probably gets thrown around too much, but Aldo deserves the designation. Need more proof? Consider the seven fighters he left in his wake during his UFC title run: Mark Hominick, Kenny Florian, Frankie Edgar, the Korean Zombie, Ricardo Lamas and Chad Mendes twice. That's a 2010s who's who at 145 pounds.

But enough about records and stats. Let's let the man and his handiwork speak for themselves, shall we? Here are the biggest fights of Aldo's career—even in defeat, Aldo left an indelible mark on the sport.

5. Aldo Schools the Cub

Event: WEC 48

Date: June 7, 2009

Result: Aldo def. Cub Swanson by TKO, 0:08, Rd. 1

This match was over so quickly, you might have missed the knee that did the job. But you didn't miss Swanson crumpling over like a sack of doorknobs, and you certainly didn't miss the resulting flesh wound on Swanson's head.

For as great a career as he's had, it took years for Swanson to live this down.

This was a featherweight title eliminator in the WEC—the prime destination for lighter-weight fighters in the years before the UFC added them. The performance moved Aldo to 15-1 on his career and put him in a prominent place in the MMA landscape, where he'd stay for the next 13 years.

4. Aldo Falls to McGregor in All-Time Iconic Clash

Event: UFC 194

Date: December 12, 2015

Result: Conor McGregor def. Aldo by KO, 0:13, Rd. 1

What's good for the goose, eh?

We're not here to revel in what few losses Aldo sustained, but a list of his biggest fights wouldn't be complete without this one, as it's probably one of the most-celebrated contests in UFC history.

McGregor, at the height of his powers, predicted a knockout against Aldo. Not only did he deliver that knockout, winning the featherweight title in the process, but he also did so in the precise way he predicted.

This is the fight that made McGregor a star. Since he's the biggest star in the history of his sport, well, you kind of have to mention it.

Consider it a compliment to Aldo. Without his mystique as a nigh-unbeatable champion, the win isn't nearly as shocking or magical.

3. Aldo Asserts Dominance Against Edgar

Event: UFC 156

Date: February 2, 2013

Result: Aldo def. Edgar by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)

In the first of their two meetings (Aldo won both), Aldo put on a master class. Sadly for the casual and bloodthirsty among us, it was a subtle master class. For the rest, it was a look at a wizard at the height of his powers.

Per UFC stats, Edgar only managed to connect on an anemic 22 percent of his strikes. The 60 significant strikes he landed over five rounds amounts to a rate of 2.4 strikes landed per minute, well below Edgar’s career mark of 3.8. Further, Aldo stopped nine of Edgar’s 11 takedown shots. In the first round, Edgar only hit Aldo five times in 34 attempts.

Aldo landed a relatively paltry 76 strikes himself, with the star being those signature leg kicks. Edgar hung tough and rallied down the stretch, but he simply wasn't on Aldo's level. Considering Edgar held gold up at 155 pounds (this was his featherweight debut), it was a cold welcome to Aldo Town.

2. Aldo Chops Down the California Kid

Event: WEC 48

Date: April 24, 2010

Result: Jose Aldo def. Urijah Faber by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-45)

A moment ago, I mentioned leg kicks. This win goes down not only as perhaps the exemplar of Aldo's dedication to this particular craft, but also as one of the most memorable leg-kick destructions in the sport's history.

What longtime fan can forget that morning-after footage of Faber on crutches, thigh swollen and purple like a dead sea animal? It was a testament to the sheer meanness of Aldo’s attack, expertly fired with no windup so as to catch the opponent unawares?

It was the first time Aldo, then all of 23 years old, had defended a title of any kind. Some people still considered this Faber’s title, as The California Kid had defended it five times before losing it in a bit of a shocker to Mike Brown, whom Aldo defeated to earn the title. Faber fans viewed it as a chance to restore order.

Instead, they saw the coronation of a champion—a champion with one hell of a leg kick.

1. Aldo Fells Mendes, Jumps Into the Crowd

Event: UFC 142

Date: January 14, 2012

Result: Aldo def. Mendes by KO, 4:59, Rd. 1

This win had it all. No Aldo highlight reel is complete without it.

For the first time in his major-league MMA career, the champ fought in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mendes had been spoiling for a title shot for some time and entered the contest with a perfect 11-0 record.

The first round unfolded in unremarkable fashion, with the two men trading range-finding jabs and leg kicks. Nothing landed with much authority for either side.

Mendes did his best to make an impression, but Aldo was a brick wall. The D-1 college wrestler tried no fewer than seven takedowns—each and every one of them rebuffed. He finally used a waist lock to tie Aldo up along the fence in the final moments. That plus a slight edge in striking output looked like it might have swung a close round to the challenger.

And then came the knee.

With no warning, Aldo spun out of the waistlock and landed a knee square on Mendes' forehead. The shot was so hard, so perfectly placed, that it sent Mendes almost literally flying backward. The ref waved off the bout shortly thereafter.

That's when the fun began.

Aldo leapt over the cage, and before officials could reach him, he darted into the crowd. The joyous Rio faithful swallowed him up, engulfing their hero in a sea of adoration.

Over the years, there were accusations that Aldo, both in and out of the cage, was a little wooden, a little reluctant to play the game. Those accusers should watch this knockout and the moments that followed it. It's one of the most exhilarating sequences in UFC history, and it's the crown jewel of Aldo's formidable list of career highlights.