Conor McGregor scored a spectacular knockout in just 13 seconds Saturday night to claim the UFC Featherweight title and end Jose Aldo’s long reign as champion. UFC 194 takes place from Las Vegas, Nevada with the Early Prelims having a start time of 6.30 p.m. ET.
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Conor McGregor has indicated he would give Jose Aldo a rematch after winning the undisputed UFC featherweight championship but is eyeing a step up to the lightweight division. Once on the ground, McGregor was able to seal the deal with two hammer punches.
Shortly after Friday’s weigh-in, when Aldo mimicked McGregor’s karate-stance pose and reached up to his opponent’s throat, the odds on the champion shortened. McGregor pounced, only to be pulled off in his fifth consecutive knockout victory.
“I said we can do it again but he was off in his own world I think”. “There is no doubt now”. McGregor went out and knocked out Chad Mendes, ensuring the fight with Aldo would go on as planned.
McGregor, who trains at SBG Ireland (which stands for Straight Blast Gym) under longtime coach John Kavanagh, initially got into martial arts for self-defence. McGregor now has a money line of -105 to win. The last time McGregor lost a fight was in 2010. He was 13-0, including 9-0 in the UFC, entering the bout. It is one of the most anticipated match-ups in the 23-year history of the UFC.
And that was it. All the trash talk. McGregor has remained calm and composed throughout his UFC career, but it was impossible to ignore the magnitude of the moment at UFC 194.
But Aldo withdrew less than two weeks before the fight due to a rib injury.
UFC President Dana White said in recent months: “If he beats Jose Aldo in Las Vegas (in December), the next fight will be at Croke Park”.
The swiftness of the result, however, didn’t stop a teary-eyed Aldo from demanding a rematch.
“It would have been nice if the contest had stretched out a little bit longer just for all it’s been through but I still feel the same process would have happened”. ‘No speed, just timing.
“It’s hard to take this all in”, Rockhold said. Yesterday at the weigh-in, I didn’t want to get off the stage.
He seized control of the fight when Weidman attempted to throw a wheel kick in the third round.
“He shouldn’t be trying that kind of stuff on me”, Rockhold said.
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In the other fights, Cuba’s Yoel Romero defeated Brazil’s Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via split decision in a middleweight clash.
