UFC 194 is officially over, and depending on who you were rooting for, the outcome may have been fantastic or disappointing.
Fantastic in the sense that with all the heat between Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo, many had at least hoped for a fierce exchange that would go beyond one round. However, as it turned out, it only lasted a record 13 seconds, hardly something anyone would expect.
It came as a shock for the ones rooting for Aldo and all his experience in somehow negating the fiery Irishman. However, as he pointed out himself, McGregor’s precision and timing made the difference, both coming out hardly battered with the fast turn of events.
Now, McGregor has finally realized a dream and ended up as the reigning UFC featherweight champion. Looking forward, the question now is, who will he face next?
An immediate rematch seems sensible, and despite the fact that McGregor said that it would all depend on how the fight goes, he did say that he would be amenable to an immediate rematch with the former champion in 2016.
“I think we need a rematch, and that will be my fight,” said Aldo via the Daily Mail.
Of course Aldo wants an immediate rematch as well.
“I think this fight here, I think now we have to go to a rematch. I think it doesn’t end there. I think it was very fast there. He hit a good blow and was able to finish the fight,” says Aldo during a post-fight interview posted on Twitter.
He adds that the psyche attacks made by McGregor, referring to the brash-talking Irishman’s tirades, almost resulted in actual altercations in some occasions.
Just the same, McGregor somehow gave merit to Aldo but not without a mild potshot, of course.
"Jose was an incredible champion. He deserved to go a little bit longer. However, I believe precision beats power, and that's what you saw," McGregor said via Bleacher Report.
With a rematch between the two looming, where does Frankie Edgar fit?
Edgar was a name that was thrown into the mix following his KO win over Chad Mendes Friday at The Ultimate Fighter 22, as reported through Yahoo Sports.
It may be wise to note that even before UFC 194 was underway, a rematch between McGregor and Aldo was also in the air. Thus, Edgar was seemingly the alternate plan.
As it stands, he may have to wait for his turn. Edgar did vie for the featherweight title back in UFC 156, losing via unanimous decision to Jose Aldo in 2013.
With Edgar likely to wait, here is what he said before the McGregor vs. Aldo tiff.
“I’d be floored,” he told MMA Junkie when asked what would happen if he didn’t get the title shot. “That’s what I’m hoping doesn’t happen. Fingers crossed."