It was all over a little too soon, but as far as the wild-eyed victor was concerned it had ended bang on time. What many had perceived as unfounded arrogance in the lead-up to the fight was now admissible as evidence of just how much of a master craftsman the tattooed talisman was.
A mere 13 seconds had elapsed since the first round had begun to much fanfare but Jose Aldo could never have been ready for the ferocity of the knockout punch that was about to be unleashed by “The Notorious” Conor McGregor. If the MGM Grand Garden Arena was a courthouse, McGregor was the illustrious attorney laying down the law for all to witness – and he was doing so with searing tenacity and conviction.
Invading Aldo's personal space with the violent persistence of a spit fighter jet, the soon-to-be-champion came at him with everything he had and more. Flooring “Scarface” with a solid left hook to the side of the face, the duel ended in spectacularly quick fashion, and what made it all the more impressive was that McGregor had predicted it all with a chilling air of certainty.
The seemingly unbreakable Jose Aldo, who had lost once before this particular bout back in 2005, was left reeling like never before and it had all been at the hands of UFC's biggest, self-styled, hype machine. Blood aside, it all left a nasty taste in Aldo's mouth – after all, this was a fight that had been months in the making and was billed as one of the most anticipated events the sport had ever set up.
On December 12, 2015, there had been a belt on the line and McGregor had taken it with both fists pummelling his way to a rapid victory.
Fast forward a few months and, though there’s no belt, the Dublin native has his sights set on making his mark on the welterweight division in a brawl against Nate Diaz.
Refreshing simplicity or complex conditioning?
Super-hero or super-villain? McGregor might not fall neatly into either one of these categories, but he's certainly captivating the general public with feats of extraordinary physical prowess like someone from a Marvel Comics blockbuster movie.
Love him or hate him, there's simply no ignoring him; that's generally been the over-riding consensus ever since the Irish man started turning heads in the MMA world when he was only 19 years of age.
Coming of age in a recession-hit Ireland was surely a motivating factor in his rise to the top, and although he's already made megabucks (and a name for himself) that burning desire is blazing as powerfully as ever before.
On the one hand, his fans love his open bravado, his emphatic confidence and his super-machismo while on the other side, many despise him for having stolen the limelight from seasoned colleagues, for speaking his mind like no-one else in the sport and for gloating about being better than the rest.
His ability borders on the superhuman and although his physical brilliance has obviously been a major part of his rise from obscurity to stardom, his psychological genius has also seen him steal the headlines. Some say his swagger is a mask he wears to rile opponents, to get under their skin and to give him an upper hand away from the intensity of fight night. If this is true, it's an intelligent ploy.
Of course, the man himself denies it's all an act and has repeatedly stated that he is simply being himself. Nevertheless, it's tempting to believe otherwise. After all, here is a man who emphasizes just how hard he works day in, day out to be the best in the business.
He prides himself on his capacity to push beyond the normal limits, to call the gym his home and to achieve objectives that would ordinarily seem crazy for most to even dream. So, it makes sense that he would develop and hone another skin to live in, a pseudo-persona to dive into when he needs it most.
It might very well be fantasy meets drama but the enormity of the situations he faces on a regular basis calls for some sort of comfortable cocoon to inhabit. They say that when the going gets tough, the tough get going but it makes just as much sense to suggest that when trying situations present themselves, the tough get comfortable.
Who else could flaunt their success in the most casually antagonistic of ways, as he often does on Twitter:
Getting to the bottom of the McGregor enigma is not an enviable task. One's time would probably be better spent trying to figure out who the Zodiac killer is, quite frankly. Nevertheless, it's an immensely fascinating aspect to his showmanship and one that has undeniably enabled him to break through the physical and psychological barriers set in his way.
He's one of the biggest, most brash and in-your-face fighters on the MMA circuit and he has undoubtedly worked incredibly hard to get to where he is. Nevertheless, many are speculating about his downfall ahead of his massive UFC 196 welterweight bout against Nate Diaz.
Will he overcome Nate Diaz?
For the main man of the hour, this is just another fight to be won. Another pay cheque to pick up. One more fight night on the road to achieving his gargantuan goals.
Sure, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the big fight but it's nothing McGregor hasn't seen before. He's been the centre of attention for a long time, it's something he thrives off. This is his elemental state, where he likes to be.
So, he's obviously going to take some beating, especially when one takes into account just how hard he has been preparing for this battle. Indeed, the following composite by MMA Junkie reporter Chamatkar Sandhu tells us everything we need to know about how much effort he has put into transforming for the shift into a new weight category for the past few months:
The general consensus heading into this one is that McGregor is the marginal favourite, and although he is the alpha male right now, many experts are predicting that this will be a very tight affair, something their cagey confrontations have added credence to.
A lot more is known about Diaz’s grappling skills, so it has been suggested that he could take this one to the ground to test his opponent’s potentially shaky submission game, and he also has a significant height advantage which could come into effect very early in the opening round.
However, the ferocious Irish man is quick, powerful and usually ends fights early. A look at Sherdog.com’s matchup analysis tells us a lot about the important basics:
Some commentators have suggested that McGregor is too smart to get drawn into a battle on the mat with Diaz and that he'll look to go at this one by relying on his usually trusty core strengths As outlined by FOXSports’ Elias Cepeda: “McGregor has a great sense of range and timing, and often fights with his hands low, relying on head movement to get out of the way of strikes. Against Diaz, McGregor will have to get further out of the way of strikes than he is used to.”
It's hard to argue convincingly against this prognosis because having come this far on the dollar-littered path the 27-year-old is sure to be as controlled and sure as he has ever been and he won't want to get fooled so easily by any of Diaz's tactics.
One interesting tidbit is that McGregor has clocked up a lot less minutes than Diaz on the UFC circuit. Having jumped on board four years later, this is an obvious difference between the two but it also serves as a fresh reminder of the gap in experience between the pair.
So far, that hasn't mattered to any of the Dubliner's recent bouts but some doubters still remain, and there is a significantly loud group of backbiters who want nothing more than to see the smile wiped clean from McGregor's face. However, these detractors have been proven wrong so many times before it's easy to imagine they'll be disappointed once again.
Quotable personality backed up by stats, conviction
He doesn't just talk the talk or walk the walk; he spits his words with venomous self-belief and he struts for all to see. He might not be the most loquacious of characters though he sure likes to talk, but the most important thing is that, so far, he has been able to deliver on his promises and prophesies.
The current featherweight champion always lights up a room and gives the press some meaty material at his press conferences and interviews – he's been a revelation along the way and he's backed up his bravado with results and records. His career to date has seen him win a phenomenal 19 fights, losing just two.
Calling out Floyd Mayweather isn't something to be undertaken lightly, but that's the sort of thing we have all become accustomed to hearing from him. Thankfully, it hasn't lost its appeal yet and he remains the sporting gift that keeps on giving – and taking away from his opponents.
Some skeptics remain about whether or not MMA is the fastest-growing sport in the world, but what's undeniable is that he has added a more widespread appeal, he's boosted its visibility with his no-holds-barred attitude and inimitable style, both inside and outside the octagon.
Sure, there have been talented guys involved for years, but nobody like McGregor who has piqued the passions and interests of even the most casual of observers.
When you catch the attentions of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who last year dubbed him the “McGregor-nator”, you must be doing something right. He's now selling out arenas in Las Vegas, has his sights on climbing the next weight division and is continuing to talk up a grand return to fight in Croke Park, Ireland – this is his time and he's making the most of it.
