It only lasted 13 seconds, but it certainly got the world’s media talking
Conor McGregor waited a long time to get into the Octagon with Jose Aldo, and even longer to be a world champion, but his life’s ambition was completed within seconds after landing a stunning trademark left hand.
It was the fastest finish in a UFC Championship bout, and here’s how the world’s media, from Australia to Canada, Brazil to the BBC, reacted.
Martin Domin, correspondent for the Mail Online, wrote:
Having looked gaunt on the scales, McGregor reportedly weighed 174lb on the day of the fight, an increase of more than two stone in a little over 24 hours.
And after walking out to Sinead O’Connor’s version of ‘Foggy Dew’ – which was barely heard such was the deafening crescendo emanating from his travelling fans – he was certainly the bigger man in the Octagon.
Once the action started, McGregor threw a left hand to find his range and a right kick to deflect Aldo’s attention.
Then he delivered the punch that shocked the world.
In the Telegraph, Gareth A. Davis wrote:
Conor McGregor’s sensational 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo had been visualised time and again explained the Irishman who became a record-breaking UFC featherweight champion. And the 27-year-old then pledged that he will “bring Floyd Mayweather numbers” to the UFC as her moves forward. “Im just warming up,” added the new champion.
McGregor’s victory brought a 10.1 million dollar record gate for a UFC event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with the event through pay per view tracking potentially record numbers – the record is 1.5 million buys – said UFC spokesman Dave Sholler.
The BBC made no mistake about McGregor’s nationality:
Irishman McGregor, 27, beat the long-time champion by landing a strong left hand with his first connecting punch to secure the fastest ever knockout in a UFC title fight.
McGregor claimed in the build up to the fight that he would “embarrass” Aldo with a first-round knockout.
“Precision beats power, timing beats speed,” McGregor said afterwards.
Brazilian website Combate wrote:
When the “Notorious” appeared on the screen, with a maniacal smile, his compatriots began their typical singing. The same screens showed images of José Aldo motioning for silence, and defeating his challengers in the UFC. The Brazilian flag colored screen, and when the Manaus appeared in the tunnel, received a loud boo, soon replaced by chants of “ole, ole, ole, ole”. The two did not touch gloves, setting the stage for the epic battle.
Kevin Lole, of Yahoo Sports, focused on Conor McGregor being the next cover star of the new UFC video game:
The winner of Saturday’s featherweight title fight at UFC 194 was to join former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey on the cover of the EA Sports’ “UFC 2” video game.
It will be the sport’s two biggest stars on the cover after Conor McGregor knocked out long-reigning champion Jose Aldo in a Rousey-like 13 seconds in a stunning finish before a deliriously happy crowd at the MGM Grand Garden.
The colorful, trash-talking McGregor, who taunted Aldo for months and predicted he’d walk through everyone in the division, proved to be a man of his word.
Dave Doyle, of MMA Fighting, wrote:
A huge left hand to the jaw followed by a couple of hammerfists was all it took, as the pride of Dublin won the UFC featherweight championship before a delirious, partisan Irish crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
McGregor sidestepped a charging Aldo and landed a magnificent left hand to the jaw, which stopped Aldo cold. McGregor landed a couple brutal hammer fists to the downed Aldo before referee John McCarthy called off the fight.
It was a staggering end to a year’s worth of drama… Aldo, who had been champion since winning what was then the WEC title from Mike Brown in Nov. 2009, had an 18-fight win streak snapped.
Kyle Smith, of Fox Sports, wrote:
In the hours leading up to the fight, the betting lines in Las Vegas shifted with McGregor actually moving from the favorite to the underdog, with a lot of money on Aldo coming in at the last minute.
Obviously, McGregor’s confidence never waned, and it took him only one punch to do what no fighter has done in more than nine years: put Aldo away.
McGregor’s victory over Aldo is one of the top stories on the Syndey Morning Herald, and Matt Bungard wrote:
Irishman Conor McGregor is the new undisputed Featherweight Champion of the UFC, knocking out champion Jose Aldo in the first round. Lasting just marginally longer than a Usain Bolt victory in the 100m sprint, McGregor delivered one punch to the jaw sending Aldo to the mat, followed by a hammerfist which was more than enough for John McCarthy to stop the match.
