Jose Aldo is out of UFC 189. For realsies this time. Conor McGregor will now face Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight title at UFC 189 on 11 days notice. The news was delivered by Dana White on Sportscenter last night, the video of which you can check out after the jump.
Jose Aldo is out of UFC 189. For realsies this time. Conor McGregor will now face Chad Mendes for the interim featherweight title at UFC 189 on 11 days notice. The news was delivered by Dana White on Sportscenter last night, the video of which you can check out after the jump.
And just like that, the most lavishly-promoted fight in UFC history goes up in smoke. Aldo misses out on the biggest payday of his career. McGregor gets an arguably tougher stylistic matchup and PPV sales likely tank. Karma at work, maybe?
After initial reports Tuesday claimed that Jose Aldo had fractured a rib in training and would most likely be removed from “the most anticipated featherweight fight of all time” at UFC 189, the UFC released a statement earlier today rebuffing those claims and offering a beacon of hope in the dreary, dystopic landscape that MMA fans have long grown accustomed to (no hyperbole).
After initial reports Tuesday claimed that Jose Aldo had fractured a rib in training and would most likely be removed from “the most anticipated featherweight fight of all time” at UFC 189, the UFC released a statement earlier today rebuffing those claims and offering a beacon of hope in the dreary, dystopic landscape that MMA fans have long grown accustomed to (no hyperbole).
In light of recent reports regarding the status of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, UFC has received official medical confirmation from several doctors that Aldo did not suffer a broken rib. Following a review of the scans, it has been determined that the champion suffered a bone bruise to his rib and cartilage injury during training.
With this news, Aldo has expressed that he has every intention of facing Conor McGregor at UFC 189.
Or as the “Notorious” one put it…
In either case, I’m just glad this development is behind us and will in no way affect our opinion of McGregor vs. Aldo in hindsight. Nope, there’s no way this injury will be discussed ad nauseum should the fight underwhelm, or draw constant questions from naysayers regarding the legitimacy of a potential McGregor win. It’s smooth sailing from here on out, everyone!
FWIW:
While Aldo has indicated that he will compete in Las Vegas on July 11, UFC has confirmed a contingency plan. No.1 featherweight contender Chad Mendes will face McGregor for the interim UFC featherweight championship in the event Aldo cannot compete.
So yeah, even if Aldo does go down, the UFC secured themselves a hell of a backup plan. Take to the streets and celebrate, everyone! It’s gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiny day!!!
We all knew that this day would come. Between the next-level trash-talk, the unprecedented world tour, the insane promos — both of which were described by Dana White as “the most expensive ever” — and the talks that the event would need to sell 1 million+ pay-per-views for the UFC to break even (which early figures indicated would happen), we knew that the MMA Gods would simply never allow the UFC 189 megafight between Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo to come to fruition. We knew this, yet we held out hope.
Which is why, perhaps more than ever before, it hurts so much to say this.
According to various sources (but first broke by Combate’s Anna Hissa), Jose Aldo fractured a rib in training early this morning. Two and a half weeks out from UFC 189. While his fight with McGregor has yet to be officially called off, one has to imagine that it’s only a matter of time.
We all knew that this day would come. Between the next-level trash-talk, the unprecedented world tour, the insane promos — both of which were described by Dana White as “the most expensive ever” – and the talks that the event would need to sell 1 million+ pay-per-views for the UFC to break even (which early figures indicated would happen), we knew that the MMA Gods would simply never allow the UFC 189 megafight between Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo to come to fruition. We knew this, yet we held out hope.
Which is why, perhaps more than ever before, it hurts so much to say this.
According to various sources (but first broke by Combate’s Anna Hissa), Jose Aldo fractured a rib in training early this morning. Two and a half weeks out from UFC 189. While his fight with McGregor has yet to be officially called off, one has to imagine that it’s only a matter of time.
God. Dammit.
Now of course, some have been quick to note that Aldo’s injury has come just weeks after his drug testing fiasco, but can we just not right now? Can’t we all just wallow in misery and drink ourselves into a midday coma before Johnny Conspiracy starts spouting his mouth off? GAHHH I HATE EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.
This sport is the worst, you guys. THE WORST. We’ll have more on this story as it develops. Go f*ck yourselves.
While we all wait on bated breath for this weekend’s superfight-ish battle between Frankie Edgar and Urijah Faber, the UFC would kindly like to remind us of another, even more hyped showdown on the horizon: That of Conor McGregor and Jose Also. It’s been awhile since the pair’s antics during the UFC World Media Tour captured our attention, and as such, the UFC released a brand spanking new trailer for UFC 198 earlier today — as if to say, “Hey, neither of these guys have gotten injured yet! And they still hate each other!!”
Like the True Detective teasers before it, each trailer for UFC 198 seems to be better than the last one, so check out the promo above and remember: If this fight gets cancelled, we riot.
While we all wait on bated breath for this weekend’s superfight-ish battle between Frankie Edgar and Urijah Faber, the UFC would kindly like to remind us of another, even more hyped showdown on the horizon: That of Conor McGregor and Jose Also. It’s been awhile since the pair’s antics during the UFC World Media Tour captured our attention, and as such, the UFC released a brand spanking new trailer for UFC 198 earlier today — as if to say, “Hey, neither of these guys have gotten injured yet! And they still hate each other!!”
Like the True Detective teasers before it, each trailer for UFC 198 seems to be better than the last one, so check out the promo above and remember: If this fight gets cancelled, we riot.
