Conor McGregor v Jose Aldo at UFC 194: There Can Only Be One Outcome
It’s the match we’ve all been waiting for: Conor McGregor verses Jose Aldo. It nearly happened at UFC 189, but unfortunately Aldo pulled out with a rib injury. That was a huge blow, but it hasn’t dampened the appetite for this one. It’s a fight that everyone’s getting excited about.
The 12th December matchup in Las Vegas has it all - the buildup, the anticipation, the venue and of course two very well matched fighters who are at the top of their game.
And McGregor is predicting an early win against Aldo, even if others rate the Brazilian as the better fighter. When asked about the impending fight, he’s quoted as saying:
"I'm hungry right now…I'm prepared to kill this man and unify the belts and then what will they have to say? What will they have to say after Jose falls? Jose is the No. 1 pound-for-pound. We'll see what they have to say after Jose crumbles inside one."
Conor has never been short of confidence, and seems to have the momentum right now.
As for Aldo, he has been making all the right noises recently, saying he’s excited about the fight, and that his injury lay-off has improved him as a fighter. The Brazilian is currently ranked #1 in UFC’s official pound-for-pound rankings, and also ranked #1 by Sherdog. He is no pushover. He’s known for his bellicose striking, has great technique on the ground, and his footwork rivals the best in the business.
However, despite Aldo’s ranking, it’s hard to see anything other than a McGregor victory right now. The Irish fighter is sheer box-office. He knows how good he is, and isn’t afraid to talk about it. Fans and pundits alike enthuse over his mix of skill and cockiness. He has tremendous reach, power and can take a hit to the chin like no-one else in the division. He has great combinations and knows exactly when and how to capitalise with long punches or crushing kicks. If he’s not rated #1 pound-for-pound now, it’s surely only a matter of time before he is. His power and all-round game is terrifying and will surely be too much for Aldo to cope with. He may not get his way and stop Aldo in the first round, but I’m predicting a short match with only one winner.
The bookies seem to agree with this too, with McGregor the clear favourite with odds at around 1.53 verses Aldo at around 2.4.
Regardless of the outcome though, one thing is clear. This match is going to be a cracker. Watch the official trailers here.