'30+ Fights in 3 Nights' — there hasn't yet been any dearth of superlative MMA action from Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday, and Saturday won't be an exception. We've witnessed UFC Fight Night 80, we've also watched The Ultimate Fighter finale, and now the best is yet to come.
The final Pay-Per-View (PPV) event of the calendar year is here. UFC 194: Aldo vs McGregor gets under way from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas in some hours from now, and this event is just unmissable.
Jose Aldo, the Featherweight Champion of the World, takes on interim title-holder Conor McGregor in the main event of the PPV. The title unifies tonight, and we will get to see which fighter enters 2016 as the undisputed UFC Featherweight Champion of the world.
The fight has been many months in the making. It was supposed to take place at UFC 189 in July, but an emergency injury from the champion forced McGregor to take on Chad Mendes in the main event of the PPV for the interim title.
And now, the months of wait will finally bear fruit for UFC fans around the world.
The Brazilian, Aldo, is known as a no-nonsense man in the cage as well as outside, and the reigning UFC pound-for-pound king has also said McGregor's high-energy publicity stunts have only given a boost to the fight. Nevertheless, the champion, who has remained calm thus far, displayed his wild side with a crouched stance during the official staredown — a stance made popular by McGregor.
The Irishman, by the looks of it, wasn't impressed, and both had to be seperated the next moment by UFC president Dana White, otherwise Aldo could have been at the receiving end of a knee from McGregor. Both fighters weighed in at 145 pounds.
Check the staredown below:
"He [McGregor] does have some good quality, but not many. His biggest asset is outside the Octagon because he talks a lot," Aldo told Megan Olivi ahead of the fight. "I am the king, Chad Mendes is the prince, and Conor McGregor is the joker, because all he does is talking a lot. He's not an all-rounded fighter, and doesn't have the qualities that I possess."
McGregor, meanwhile, has said he is eyeing the lightweight division now, and he is prepared to sign off from the featherweight division as the champ. "I think Jose Aldo will retire after the fight, so there's no chance of him asking for a rematch after Saturday night," the Irishman said.
UFC 194: Aldo vs McGregor airs LIVE from 10 pm EST / 7 pm PST (8:30 am IST, 3 am GMT, 4 am BST, 2 pm AEDT).
Where to watch LIVE (Main Card)
In India, the action gets under way as usual on Sunday morning at Sony Six HD and Sony Kix. Live streaming will be available on LivSports.
US and Canada viewers have to watch the event on PPV.
Main Event remain the destination for viewers from Australia, while Sky TV will broadcast the event in New Zealand.
BT Sport 2 will broadcast the event live in the UK and Ireland.
MMA fans in Brazil can tune in to Combate for the heated action.
Live streams - UFC TV, YouTube (not available in the UK, Brazil, and India).
