UFC star Conor McGregor backed up every word he ever said to Jose Aldo with one spectacular punch.
The Irishman stopped Aldo with a left hand to the jaw just 13 seconds into the first round in Las Vegas on Saturday night, claiming the undisputed featherweight title at UFC 194.
McGregor (19-2) finished the fight with an electrifying exchange shortly after the opening bell, slipping Aldo's lead right and cracking the champ with his formidable punching power.
Aldo (25-2) actually finished his punch and hit McGregor with a left, but the champ fell senseless to the ground.
McGregor pounced, only to be pulled off in his fifth consecutive knockout victory.
"What I say happens, happens," said 27-year-old McGregor.
"There is no doubt now."
Brazilian Aldo had won 18 consecutive fights over the past 10 years, but not even the only previous 145-pound (66kg) champion in UFC history could survive McGregor.
The loquacious Irish brawler goaded Aldo throughout the promotion of their delayed bout, only to earn a victory that was even more dramatic than he predicted.
McGregor's victory was the fastest title fight in UFC history, surpassing Ronda Rousey's 14-second win over Cat Zingano at UFC 184 in February.
"Precision beats power, and timing beats speed," McGregor said.
"Jose was a phenomenal champion. He deserved to go a little bit longer, but I still feel at the end of the day, precision beats power and timing beats speed. That's what happened."
Former plumber McGregor, who was fairly late to take up mixed martial arts as a career, has won 15 consecutive fights since November 2010 while building an international celebrity on his combination of MMA skill and verbal dexterity.
He is 7-0 in UFC bouts, stopping all but one opponent with his vaunted punching power.
After recovering from the knockout, Aldo called for a rematch in the cage, saying through an interpreter that it "wasn't a real fight."
"The trash talking didn't affect me," Aldo said. "I don't care what he says."
Share
