New UFC interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor could face Jose Aldo at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in Texas due to a scheduling error at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.
Yahoo's Kevin Iole reports opera singer Andrea Bocelli is booked to appear in concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Dec. 5, the night of UFC 194. Aldo-McGregor is expected to top the billing for the card, which now faces the distinct possibility of taking place away from the fight capital of the world.
Iole suggested Bocelli's appearance may significantly alter the plans of UFC President Dana White, who believed the card would go ahead in Vegas after watching McGregor win the interim title against Chad Mendes on July 11.
"But when the Bocelli concert was booked, it made more sense to look outside of Las Vegas where the UFC could get a venue large enough to support a show of that magnitude," wrote Iole, who noted the switch isn't a "done deal."
The stadium previously averaged around 45,000 fans across two Manny Pacquiao fights. Although Iole suggested it can hold 100,000 people, this number will severely decrease when configurations are made to make it MMA-ready.
McGregor is one of the UFC's biggest draws right now, amplified by a terrific atmosphere during his victory over Mendes. Despite relinquishing his belt when pulling out of a showdown with the Irishman through injury, Aldo decided against watching the bout which saw Mendes crumple under the weight of McGregor's powerful left, per UFC:
McGregor Silences Critics Finishes Mendes In 2nd Story: http://t.co/pVo1kqS0Zt pic.twitter.com/eE1XDznwKP
— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2015
Instead of tuning in, Aldo let his coach Andre Pederneiras describe the action once it was over. "Dede talked to me about it, said it's cool, that it was a good fight for us," he said during a press conference on Thursday, reported Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting. "He saw his game, that Chad was winning while he had gas, and that they shouldn't have stopped the fight. But when I'm not fighting, I don’t read or watch anything."
Aldo believes McGregor was lucky to get the win, saying: "Mendes won the battle, but McGregor won the fight." He also suggested he considered going ahead with the original contest, despite injury, and that he won't entertain a third encounter with Mendes due to its financial restraints.
However, Aldo is more than happy to fight McGregor in the Republic of Ireland: "It would be great, I don't see any problem with that," he said, per Cruz. "They can say whatever they want. If they don't say it in Portuguese, I won't understand a word so I don't care. I'm anxious to fight already." He rounded off by telling McGregor to "get ready."
McGregor's performance against Mendes underlined his ultra-confident style and belief in his own abilities. Mendes regularly tried to take McGregor to the ground in a bid to test his wrestling game, but Notorious managed to keep himself in a decent defensive position. Granted, the odd slicing elbow snuck through, but Mendes couldn't use his frame to overpower his relaxed opponent.
Once standing up, McGregor made his reach count. He picked his shots well, worked the body and kept Mendes at a safe distance before eventually working him toward the cage. Once there, it was only a matter of time before Mendes felt the force of his accurate shots.
The Irishman possesses devastating power, perhaps surprisingly so, and genuinely has the punching ability to outbox anyone in the featherweight division. He worked methodically for the win, biding his time after answering a few questions from those who doubted his ability to work on the mat. In this sense, it's hard to see how Aldo and his camp can take the performance positively.
Despite the venue for this future showdown yet to be decided, you can bet Aldo vs. McGregor will rank among the top-grossing UFC bouts of all time. Both fighters are versatile, strategic stars who excite audiences when they step into the Octagon.
Their meeting has been a long-time coming, and whether in Vegas or not, it has the potential to set the bar for future UFC events.
