Under fire ARL Commission boss John Grant admits he is surprised he does not have the personal endorsement of his friend and NSWRL chairman George Peponis after calls for his departure over a funding backflip.Then again, Grant reckons the events of the past week have left him scratching his head.Disgruntled NRL clubs have called an emergency general meeting on December 20 in a bid to oust Grant after the ARLC reneged on a 12-month-old funding agreement last Wednesday.Clubs require a minimum 14 votes from the games 26 shareholders - the 16 clubs, QRL, NSWRL and eight commissioners - to remove Grant.Grant said Peponis NSWRL had put a stake in the ground by reportedly joining 14 clubs - excluding the NRL-owned Gold Coast Titans and Newcastle Knights - and calling for his head.Much to Grants curiosity.Thats surprising. I think the state leagues are about the grass roots, and this discussion is about how we make sure we get the appropriate money to grass roots, Grant said of Peponis stance.Its disappointing NSWRL doesnt seem to think that is the agenda.Bulldogs great Peponis has already been linked to the ARLC chairman role.But Grant still kept the door open for Peponis to help resolve the funding issue without any blood letting.George and I have a good, direct relationship. Its been built over the last two and half years, Grant said.And George is a sensible man. But he has put a stake in the ground.We are saying to him you have got to come and talk.Its not just Peponis who has raised the ARLC bosss eyebrows.Grant admitted he was surprised at how quickly he had fallen out of favour with clubs after the governing body reneged on an agreement to fund clubs 130 per cent of their salary cap from 2018 at a meeting last Wednesday.He has since extended an olive branch, saying the ARLC were open for funding talks with clubs on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday.I must admit I sit there and think I dont quite understand this, he said.There are forces at work somewhere that are causing this shift in view on me.My relationships across this game on Tuesday were pretty sound - it is disappointing to see the herd shifting in opinion.Asked how he would gain the votes required to retain his spot, Grant said: Talking, encouraging the clubs to come back around the table and have a sensible conversation.We disappointed the clubs, clearly, and they have let us know in uncertain terms that we did but we have got to move on.This is hugely disruptive and I know we have contributed to that.But we need to forget about it and sort this out. 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LAS VEGAS -- Interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo met with UFC president Dana White at the companys headquarters on Wednesday to discuss the Brazilians future as a professional fighter.Aldo (26-2) created headlines earlier this month when he abruptly stated he no longer wished to fight for the UFC. The comments were made shortly after the promotion company booked a fight between Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor, with whom Aldo has sought a rematch.Aldo said the meeting went well and there would likely be others. He did maintain, however, he has no current interest in furthering his mixed martial arts career.I didnt come here just wanting to cancel my contract, Aldo said in quotes translated by ESPN.com. I came here because I had a lot on my chest that I wanted to say. And thats what was done. I will follow my own path and UFC will follow theirs. Time will tell what the future holds.I came here from Brazil already with ideas firmly fixed in my head. My current intention is to no longer fight. That hasnt changed. Thats how I felt when I left Brazil and thats how I feel today.Aldos longtime coach and mentor Andre Pederneiras, who accompanied Aldo to the meeting, told ESPN.com they have requested changes to Aldos existing contract with the UFC that would allow him to compete freely in other martial arts.According to Pederneiras, who coaches a full stable of athletes at Nova Uniao in Rio de Janeiro, White is supposed to speak to the UFCs new owners at WME-IMG and respond to Aldos request in the near future.He wants to end the contract, but Dana says he cant do that, Pederneiras said. I know that, but maybe have some addendum written into the contract to do other things like kickboxing, jiu-jitsu or boxing.I think Dana was open to that, but he said every time [Aldo] wants to do that, he needs to ask permission. Hes not going to do that. If hes fighting MMA, OK, he cant fight MMA in another organization. If he wants to come back to MMA someday, it will be in the UFC. But he doesnt want, every time he takes a fight in jiu-jitsu, to call Dana or send him a letter if he wants to box. We are trying to get an addendum in the contract to separate MMA, so he can compete in other sports any time he wants.A UFC official told EESPN.dddddddddddd.com that Wednesdays meeting was productive and there would be no further comment at this time.Aldo declined to go into detail on the reasons he no longer wishes to fight, but Pederneiras said its directly tied to the aftermath of his loss to McGregor at UFC 194 last December.That loss, a 13-second knockout, snapped Aldos streak of seven consecutive title defenses. Based on his resume, Aldo felt he deserved an immediate rematch and a chance to prove the loss was a fluke -- but McGregor went on to fight Nate Diaz at UFC 196 instead.According to Pederneiras, Aldo felt so disrespected at not getting a rematch, he wanted to walk away from the sport entirely. Pederneiras says he talked Aldo into accepting a fight against Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 on July 9, based on one condition.He was waiting for that immediate rematch and it didnt happen, Pederneiras said. He said, These guys dont respect me. Ive been champion for so long. Im the only champion of the featherweight division. If anybody should get an immediate rematch, why not me?After this, Dana and [UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby] called me and asked him to fight Frankie Edgar. I said, Its going to be difficult but Ill try. I talked to him for a month and I convinced him only because we said, Dana, hell fight, but if you want this fight, the next one is with Conor. And they said, Yes.Aldo said he has no intention to reach out directly to WME-IMG, as he feels confident his feelings were well represented to White on Wednesday. When asked if he intends to seek legal means to terminate his contract, he said no.Theres no reason to do that, Aldo said. Theres no reason to start a legal challenge, Im not that kind of guy. Im a man, I came here voluntarily.If I had no contracts, if I had nothing binding me or had no other negotiations going on, I still wouldnt see myself fighting again. I think I have already done a lot for the sport and I have to go my own way. Of course, I have a contract and I must respect that contract. Like I said, I came here to have a first conversation, start a dialogue, speak face-to-face. It went really well. ' ' '