UFC 194 Preview: McGregor Vs. Aldo, Weidman Vs. Rockhold, Faber, Live Coverage Tonight
It's finally happened. Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo. After months of wait, over a dozen press conferences, a world tour, injuries, replacements, amazing moments, it comes to a head at UFC 194 tonight.
This is truly a bout that MMA is all about. Two supremely talented men, one on the rise, another trucking downa road of dominance, meeting in a fight where it's difficult to predict where the contest will go.
Make no mistake, Conor McGregor is a special kind of striker, and a special kind of athlete. Jose Aldo, although he's been dominant, has been taken the distance by Chad Mendes, Ricardo Lamas, Frankie Edgar, Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick during his UFC run. None of those men have the chin or the accuracy of the brash McGregor, and that's saying something.
One distinct advantage Aldo has is in his leg kicks, as McGregor may make himself a target employing his usual wide stance. It's hard to believe someone like McGregor hasn't identified this, however, only adding to the intrigue. Aldo is also much more experienced on the ground. However, as seen in his fight with Chad Mendes, McGregor isn't afraid of being taken down, and wastes no time pushing the pressure when he gets back to his feet.
It's kind of weird to think that fight week is ending with one of the biggest MMA fights of all-time, but it is. Saturday night at UFC 194, Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo lock horns. The crazy thing? The intrigue isn't even close to stopping there. Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold also throw down for the UFC Middleweight title, the first time in a decade two Americans competed for the championship.
Weidman has stunned the world, defeating Anderson Silva twice. He followed up with big wins over Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort, primarily backed by his evolving striking and already top-notch ground game. Luke Rockhold is about as well-rounded as it gets at 185 pounds, and has an impressive resume with victories over Machida, Michael Bisping, Tim Kennedy, Keith Jardine and Jacare Souza.
Speaking of Jacare Souza, he could very well be the next middleweight title contender if he can get past Yoel Romero. Souza's last loss was to Rockhold four years ago, winning eight in a row on the back of the top submission skills in the middleweight division. Former Olympian Yoel Romero is 38 years old, but hasn't lost in the UFC. On a card packed with intrigue, this fight could have easily headlined any Fight Night card.
Elsewhere on the show, surging Max Holloway, legendary Urijah Faber, Demian Maia, Top-5 Tecia Torres, and Gunnar Nelson are all on the show. Be sure to join Wrestling Inc Saturday night for quick results of the prelims, and full, live PPV coverage. We'll also have a live podcast following the show.