Jose Aldo assures doubters he'll be at UFC 194, says Conor McGregor is 'still the joker'

Jose Aldo

Just 10 days prior to UFC 194, featherweight champion Jose Aldo laid down a guarantee that he’ll be in the octagon opposite Conor McGregor on Dec. 12.

Aldo (25-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) was the victim of harsh criticism from many after a rib injury forced him out of July’s UFC 189 fight with McGregor (18-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) less than two weeks prior to the scheduled event.

McGregor went on to defeat late replacement Chad Mendes by second-round TKO at UFC 189 to capture the interim featherweight title, and five months later a unification bout with Aldo is set to take place.

The original showdown at UFC 189 was highly anticipated and disappointment was widespread once Aldo officially withdrew. He assured any naysayers that history won’t repeat and he’ll be ready to face his rival in the pay-per-view headliner at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.

“I’m 100 percent; since that last fight and since I got back in it, I’ve been healed up,” Aldo said through an interpreter on the UFC 194 media conference call. “I want this fight to happen, this is when it’s going to happen so I’m 100 percent right now.”

Although Aldo has received many verbal blows from McGregor in the wake of the UFC 189 postponement, he said he’s left that history behind. Aldo said his focus is now on the upcoming fight, which he expects to successfully mark his seventh 145-pound title defense.

“There’s really no difference (between this fight and my others); you’re going to see me go in there and get the win,” Aldo said. “I don’t really care how I win I just care about winning. Really the only difference is I always beat Americans and this time I’m going to beat an Irishman.

“To me he’s just the same. I’ve fought a lot of the top fighters out there and to me he’s really just another opponent that I have to go in there and beat.”

In the long buildup to the fight with Aldo and McGregor plenty has been said and a legitimate grudge has formed. UFC 194 is expected to be one of the biggest events in a highly successful year for the organization and the marquee headliner is the primary contributor to that fact.

Aldo said he still holds distain for McGregor due to their history, but he said he’s also partly grateful because “The Notorious” has helped bring what’s likely to be his greatest payday in nearly five years as the UFC featherweight kingpin.

“Nothing’s changed; he’s still the joker to me,” Aldo said. “He did good work, he’s bringing me money, but it’s still the same for me. … The guy’s worked for me; he’s basically making me money, so how could I be angry at him? I think he did very good for the weight class so I’m happy with that.”

Despite the fact there’s been many significant fights for the UFC this year, Aldo has yet to take part in one. “Scarface” has been out of action since UFC 179 in October 2014 when he successfully defended his title against Mendes.

New viewers of the sport may yet to witness Aldo’s ability in the 14 months since he last competed. The Brazilian said if there’s anyone watching him for the first time at UFC 194, he’s eager to settle the score with McGregor and show why many have him ranked as one of the world’s top pound-for-pound talents.

“The reason that I don’t fight as often is because I’m involved in big fights; so this is another chance for the fans that don’t know me to be able to watch and get to know my work,” Aldo said. “Every fight’s the biggest fight of my career. Always the next one is the biggest one, so I’m looking at this one as the biggest fight of my career because it’s the next one.”

For more on UFC 194, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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