Jose Aldo does not like Conor McGregor one bit, and he wants to show him in the most physical way possible. Whether that comes before UFC 189 doesn’t matter at this point.
Speaking at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro (via Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com), Aldo came just shy of promising to rough up his trash-talking Irish foe at the first sign of provocation. “The fight is around the corner now, so we can do something more because nobody will do anything about it,” he said. “If there’s any trash talk, I know what I’m going to do.”
McGregor has been picking at Aldo since he first joined the UFC, but things got especially heated when the two hit the road alongside promotional brass on a globetrotting media tour to promote the fight. With each stop, McGregor pushed Aldo further (all documented in the UFC’s Embedded series) until he famously snatched the belt away from Aldo in front of a raucous Dublin crowd.
While this may sound like generic pre-fight boasting from Aldo, think again. The long-reigning featherweight champ made some big (and honest) claims about the fight that will not sit well with the Nevada State Athletic Commission or UFC boardroom, “There’s no fine or suspension anymore. After everything they spent, they won’t cancel this fight for anything.” And Aldo later said, “It would be great if there’s a brawl. I hope that happens. That’s what people want.”
There is, of course, precedent to Aldo’s claims. A light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier headlined UFC 182. Months earlier, however, the two got into a huge scrap that sent them (and UFC VP of Public Relations Dave Sholler) tumbling off the stage.
Both men would be fined, but the fight would eventually go down without interference. With that in mind, even if Aldo and McGregor had an extracurricular brawl, it is incredibly unlikely the UFC or the NSAC would take action to jeopardize what is sure to be an incredibly lucrative night.
The two are slated to legally punch one another on July 11 at UFC 189 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Keep an eye on Bleacher Report over the coming weeks for more news on the fight.
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