"That was a luck shot" - Fans rally behind Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo 2 as the most-wanted rematch in the UFC
A potential rematch between Conor McGregor and Jose Aldo may have more takers than expected. BT Sports' Chamatkar Sandhu recently posed a question to fans about the most anticipated rematch that never came to fruition.
What's a rematch you wanted to see in the UFC, but never happened? 🤔 https://t.co/bhNriKJP4g
Fans rallied behind Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo 2 for the most-wanted rematch. According to Twitter user @thedavid44, McGregor's 13 second knockout win over Aldo in 2015 was courtesy a "luck shot". David wrote on Twitter:
"Connor vs Aldo. I truely believe that was a luck shot and we have never seen it again."
@SandhuMMA Connor vs Aldo. I truely believe that was a luck shot and we have never seen it again.
McGregor vs. Aldo 2 also topped fans' lists featuring other epic rematches.
@SandhuMMA Aldo vs Mcgregor
-Garbrant vs Cruz
Johnson vs Cejudo
Poirier vs Gaethje (could happen)
Nunes vs Cyborg
Holloway vs Mcgregor
Cejudo vs Dillashaw
@SandhuMMA Also vs McGregor
Nate vs Cowboy
TJ vs Cejudo at 135
DJ vs Cejudo 3
Valentina vs Jessica Eye
@SandhuMMA Conor Vs Aldo 2
Gaethje Vs Dustin (still can happen)
Stipe Vs Nganonnu 3
@SandhuMMA @MMAHistoryToday Aldo V Conor. Conor would have had a chance to defend a title and if there was ever a championship run that deserved an immediate rematch it was Aldo’s. Even with the 13 second stoppage
@SandhuMMA McGregor vs Aldo. I never use luck as an excuse, but I always wondered if the fight went longer, would McGregor still have shocked the world? Or would Aldo have kept the belt and McGregor's trajectory never happened. Or was McGregor always bound to be a megastar?
@SandhuMMA Aldo vs McGregor popping up quite a bit below and I’d agree. No way it wouldn’t have been more competitive/intriguing the second time around. I’d still pay to watch it now.
@SandhuMMA Jose Aldo vs Conor McGregor
McGregor challenged Aldo for the featherweight title at UFC 194 in 2015 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. The Irishman was at the top of his trash-talking game, infamously getting into Aldo's head ahead of the fight. 'The Notorious' lived up to his hype, faceplanting the champion with a flush left hook just 13 seconds into the opening frame.
Other rematches most wanted by fans feature McGregor as well. Several voted in favor of a rematch between 'The Notorious' and Max Holloway. Their first encounter in August 2013 had ended in a unanimous decision win for the Irishman.
@SandhuMMA Conor vs Max
@SandhuMMA Conor v Max Holloway
Other potential rematch suggestions for the Irishman included Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
@SandhuMMA Khabib Conor. Don’t care if it’d be one sided or a repeat of the first fight. A 2nd fight between them two would’ve only been so much bigger than anything the ufc has ever seen after what happened at the end of the first fight.
@SandhuMMA McGregor vs. Porier 4. In my opinion, the trilogy should’ve been a no contest because McGregor stepped back wrong causing his injury. We need to see who’s the better fighter & we haven’t yet. Even though I’m team both! I love them both in their own unique styles of fighting.
Jose Aldo is seemingly uninterested in a rematch against Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor moved up to lightweight immediately after dethroning Jose Aldo in 2015. While talk of a rematch was always lurking, the matchup never came close to being considered.
Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo https://t.co/gLRa3O7rrL
Aldo has since revived his career, having moved down to bantamweight where he is looking to make a title run. Meanwhile, McGregor has gone 1-3 in his last four and is currently rehabilitating from a broken leg.
Aldo's win over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 265 last year once against brought up the topic of a McGregor rematch. 'Junior' dismissed the entire idea, claiming no one had considered the matchup when he deserved it. The Brazilian said during an interview with MMA Fighting:
"That’s what I don’t understand, brother. Back when it should have happened, like they are going [other] rematches and trilogies, I didn’t have the opportunity, no one considered anything, and each one went their way. Now that the situation has inverted again, it feels like they have the obligation to book it."