This was either a stunning oversight or someone from the UFC was taking the whizz.
Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo spent most of 2015 on tour with, or talking about, each other.
They were due to fight at UFC 189 but a fractured rib for the Brazilian put their title decider back to December’s UFC 194. On they toured, through continents, TV appearances, conference calls and endless face-offs.
McGregor snatched Aldo’s belt twice and absolutely loved it when he learned he did not want to be touched by The Notorious.
The pair seemed to settle their differences after McGregor KO’ed Aldo in just 13 seconds to claim his belt. Words of respect were shared before McGregor’s arm was raised in victory.
However, as Aldo agitated for a rematch for his belt, he took several needless pops at McGregor. As a highly regarded student of mixed martial arts, many felt Aldo was better than that.
Andre Pederneiras has revealed that the former foes were thrown back into close quarters around the time of UFC 200, in July of this year. Aldo was in Las Vegas to fight Frankie Edgar for the interim featherweight belt. McGregor was there to promote UFC 202 after being bumped off the 200 card.
Pedereneiras says many people have the wrong idea about the fighters and insists there is no bad blood. Still, it was more than odd, he said, for the UFC to book them into hotel rooms next to each other for the week after that July pay-per-view. Pederneiras told Combate:
“After Aldo’s fight with Frankie, he stayed in Las Vegas one week with his wife.
“It must have been a prank because Lorenzo [Fertitta, the former UFC owner] put Jose in a room next to McGregor. So, both of them were in the balcony, one looked to the other side, the other looked at the other, and they were side by side.
“They even joked about it. In reality, there isn’t any grudge.
“One of the main things I pass on to my athletes is that sport is just sport. Just because you lost to someone, there is no need to harbour any anger towards them. That’s it.”
From having to be held apart for most of 2015, McGregor and Aldo were next door neighbours in July and even shared a few laughs.
Incredible stuff.
In the latest GAA Hour, we talk to Ken McGrath of Waterford and with Declan Brennan about a new club players’ association.
