Page 21 - Aruba Today

SPORTS A21
Friday 11 December 2015

Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor Finally Collide at UFC 194

Continued from page 17

While McGregor’s person- Jose Aldo, from Brazil, right, and Chan Sung Jung, from South Korea, battle in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With a year of exquisite taunts
ality is both magnetic and and verbal roundhouses, Conor McGregor has dominated the promotion of his wildly anticipated UFC showdown with Aldo. Getting
divisive, Aldo is no wallflow- into the cage and ending Aldo’s 10-year winning streak at UFC 194 will be another matter entirely.
er himself, as evidenced
by his testy relations with (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
the UFC for the past few
years. He has reacted with who filled Vegas’ casinos technical striking, formi- any opponent since 2005, to correct.
amusement and anger to dable Brazilian jiu-jitsu and always finding a way to im- “I just don’t see him an-
McGregor’s provocations with songs and revelry be- superior defense. pose his will on the world’s swering the bell for the
while adding his own jabs, McGregor is a fearsome best 145-pounders. second round,” McGregor
albeit without the inimi- fore and after his victory striker with an improving McGregor doesn’t think said. “I can’t see his face or
table showmanship of Mc- ground game, and his abil- the details matter. He in- his body at the beginning
Gregor’s rants. over Mendes. ity to absorb punishment sists his greatest victory has of the second round. I see
“I’m going to hit him, and should make it difficult already been won in the him KO’d inside one. And
he’s going to sleep,” Aldo “I think it’s going to be an for Aldo to finish quickly. arena of Aldo’s mind — a when you KO a man inside
said through a translator. Yet Aldo has been too re- notion that Aldo answers one, there’s no need for a
“I don’t really care how I electric atmosphere,” Mc- sourceful and too tough for with a smirk and a promise rematch.”q
win. I care about winning.
Really the only difference Gregor said. “I feel the
is I always beat Americans,
and this time I’m going to Brazilians will come out to
beat an Irishman.”
Aldo could say little when support. They’re going to
he was injured in training
shortly before he was origi- be swallowed by the Irish,
nally scheduled to meet
McGregor in July, scrap- though. It’s going to be a
ping an elaborate pro-
motional campaign and green Christmas in Las Ve-
providing more fodder for
his challenger. McGregor gas, that’s for sure.”
took on the highly regard-
ed Chad Mendes instead, McGregor anticipates
scoring a second-round
stoppage and earning an moving up to lightweight
interim belt.
That honor didn’t satisfy and becoming a two-divi-
McGregor, whose plans for
world domination aren’t sion undisputed champion
confined to one weight
class or even one endeav- next year. But first, he must
or (“Hollywood is scream-
ing for me,” he said). handle Aldo’s mix of solid
McGregor has attracted
global attention to the
grateful UFC, which has
heavily showcased his
magnetism and verbos-
ity. He has become a fan
favorite — particularly
among his countrymen,