5 best moments from Conor McGregor's psychological warfare on Jose Aldo leading to 13-second KO
Conor McGregor's fighting skills, particularly his striking and thunderous knockout power, have earned him plaudits from martial arts aficionados worldwide. Nevertheless, fighting isn't merely a physical contest. Martial arts experts and teachers since ancient times have stressed the importance of the mental aspect of combat.
McGregor, being a true student of fighting, is one of the prime examples of how a fighter uses psychological warfare to benefit themselves and destroy opponents. One of the biggest examples of his brilliance came against MMA legend Jose Aldo. Today, we take a special look at the very best moments from the Irishman's psychological warfare against 'The King of Rio.'
#5. 'This is not a therapy session'
Perhaps one of the most iconic lines in combat sports history came during an interview featuring Conor McGregor, Jose Aldo, and Dana White in Toronto. Back then, the UFC had organized an Aldo vs. McGregor world tour and they were booked to fight at UFC 189 (July 2015).
This was before Aldo withdrew from UFC 189 due to a rib injury and McGregor knocked out Chad Mendes to win the interim title at the event, before going on to knock Aldo out at UFC 194 in December 2015.
Coming back to the interview, the trio (and Aldo's translator) appeared on TSN's 'Off the Record' hosted by Michael Landsberg. He referenced McGregor's previous comments, wherein the Irishman had claimed his animosity toward Aldo was a result of the Brazilian disrespecting him.
When questioned about the same, Aldo clarified that he'd never disrespected McGregor. Landsberg turned to McGregor and asked what it was that Aldo did which he perceived as disrespectful. Well, McGregor responded with a hilarious line and explanation, saying:
"This is not a therapy session ... Yeah. I said what I said. He spoke my name out of turn. He should've kept his mouth shut. He should've gave me my credit for what I've done for this division. I made this division. Without me the division is nothing. Without me he is prelim. He did not. Now, I get him at every single opportunity."
It's reminiscent of the British royal adage -- Never complain, never explain. Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli is credited for popularizing the quote, which entails the royal strategy of refraining from excessive complaining whilst also ensuring that you don't explain yourself to others too much.
McGregor kept his responses brief, and his explanation was more of a continuation of his trash talk against Aldo rather than a valid justification of previous trash talk.
Check out Conor McGregor's comments below:
#4. Invasion of personal space
During their time in Canada, Conor McGregor had considerable success in riling up Jose Aldo. Chalk it up to the cold weather juxtaposed with the boiling rage within Aldo, but there was something about that leg of the promotional tour that seemed to give McGregor an even bigger advantage courtesy of the little things that seemed to annoy Aldo.
McGregor is known to be a tactile person, famously even displaying that during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin years later. Back in 2015, McGregor's tactile nature proved invaluable, as he used it to his advantage by touching Aldo whenever he got the opportunity to do so.
Before another TSN interview segment in Toronto, 'The Notorious' took a seat in the row behind Aldo, kept talking trash to him, and then got up and seemed to lightly touch him on the back his his neck. It set Aldo off, but then-UFC president (now-UFC CEO and president) Dana White intervened and de-escalated the situation.
McGregor's invasion of Aldo's personal space and repeatedly touching him was a calculated risk that paid off -- as the Irishman presumably operated hoping that Aldo didn't retaliate violently or else their fight may have fallen apart altogether.
Watch the incident below (1:47):
#3. Symbolism and Conor McGregor's repeated positive affirmations
Conor McGregor often utilizes symbolism -- be it with his body language that suggests he owns a place when he walks in, or with his words/other actions filled with positive affirmations.
During the world tour's final stop, in McGregor's native Dublin, he entered the press conference to a raucous reception from the Irish fans. McGregor deftly used his gift of gab to berate Aldo. 'The Notorious' also placed his feet on the table, talked like he ran the place, and then proceeded to steal Aldo's UFC belt off the table.
Dana White and other security personnel ensured that McGregor and Aldo didn't come to blows, but the Irishman's mission had already been accomplished. His repeated act of physically stealing Aldo's belt was eerily symbolic and ultimately manifested itself in a 13-second KO victory that ended Aldo's decade of dominance.
Watch the belt-stealing moment below (9:12):
#2. A warrior's ruthlessness behind enemy lines
During their promotional tour stop in Jose Aldo's native, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Conor McGregor was booed and Aldo was cheered (no surprises there!). Regardless, despite being on enemy soil in one of the most bitter feuds in combat sports history, McGregor appeared unfazed.
During their press conference in Rio, McGregor gave fight fans one of his most iconic lines ever -- that of invading Aldo's 'favela' on horseback. The Irishman suggested that if it were the olden days of kings and conquerors, he'd have done so. In a risky move amid thousands of rival fans, McGregor stated:
"I own this town. I own Rio de Janeiro. So for him to say he is the king and I am the joker -- if this was a different time, I would invade his favela on horseback and kill anyone that was not fit to work. But we are in a new time. So I'll whoop his a** in July."
Watch Conor McGregor's classic monolog below (1:05):
#1. The 'frenemy' approach
After spectacularly beating Chad Mendes to become the interim UFC featherweight champion in July 2015, Conor McGregor was rescheduled to fight UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo for the undisputed belt at UFC 194 (December 2015). They partook in the UFC's 'Go Big' press conference in the second half of 2015, featuring the promotion's top fighters.
During that very press conference, McGregor famously introduced the world to 'red p*nty night,' underscoring that he's the biggest 'money fight' in the fight game. McGregor also mentally dominated Jose Aldo by using the 'frenemy' approach.
Leading up to that event, McGregor alternated between being cordial and then going back to his usual trash-talking strategy against Aldo. The Brazilian acknowledged McGregor's approach as a confusing one, but that's exactly what the Irishman wanted.
Before their traditional onstage face-off, which ended in a scuffle, McGregor lambasted Aldo by mockingly implying that he was adopting a friendly approach to prevent him from pulling out of their fight again. Deeming Aldo as his "b*tch," McGregor said:
"I don't wanna scare him anymore. He's petrified. He went running before. So now, I'm gonna take the opposite approach -- cuddle him, look after him, whisper sweet nothings, tell him it's gonna be alright [and] it will be over quick. And hopefully, get him into that octagon December 12th and then end his career."
Check out Conor McGregor's comments below (1:35):