December 12, 2015. UFC 194. The day which changed Conor McGregor forever.
Facing off against Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor won the UFC Featherweight Championship after knocking out the Brazilian fighter in just 13 seconds, recording the fastest ever finish in UFC title fight history.
McGregor went on to become a global superstar and the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight divisions simultaneously, defeating Eddie Alvarez for the UFC Lightweight title. Aldo, on the other hand, has only fought once since his loss to The Notorious, defeating Frankie Edgar to win the interim Featherweight title.
SIGN UP NOW
Want to become a GMS writer? Sign up now and submit a 250-word test article: http://gms.to/haveyoursay4
Now a two-time Featherweight champion, and preparing to defend his title against the interim Featherweight champion Max Holloway in a unification match at UFC 212 on June 3, Aldo was asked if he would ever receive a rematch against McGregor after what happened a year-and-a-half ago.
The Brazilian said, according to MMA Fighting: "Everybody says things today that I don’t even understand why. Conor was good for one side, let’s say, because he brought more attention to the division and to myself. On another side, to talk about the fight, man, that’s in the past.
"Everybody still asks me if I want or if I don’t want (to fight him again). That’s not up to me. That's up to the UFC, and we know it will never happen. I don’t even know if he will come back to fight. The UFC tried to do a (second) fight and he didn’t want it, didn’t accept it, because what happened will never happen again.
"I couldn’t care less what Conor does or doesn’t do. I’m a UFC fighter and I’m the best featherweight. I have to focus on training and evolving to defend my belt.”
Now, he is more focused on defending his title against Holloway next weekend, which goes against what he said he would do back in November, moving up a weight division to chase after and earn a fight with McGregor.
Aldo said: "I think Max is a big challenge, an opponent that I already expected to face in the future. I try to look at every up-and-comer. I’m a reference (point), I’m a target. Everybody wants the champion, so I try to study every young athlete that enters the division.
"It’s another test for me. He’s a young guy, hungry to win. He’s another one who will try and fail. That’s for sure."