1. When Performance Exceeds Hype
The hype behind the man was exceeded only by his performance. Conor McGregor with one swing of his left hand quieted his critics and set the MMA world on fire, as he unified the Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight title with a stunning 13-second knockout of the great Jose Aldo in the UFC 194 main event on Dec. 12, 2015 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It was the fastest finish in a championship fight in UFC history. Aldo stepped into the pocket with a straight right-left hook combination, only to be met with a counter left hook from the Irishman. That was that. The Nova Uniao cornerstone crashed to the canvas in a defenseless state and absorbed two subsequent hammerfists to the face before referee John McCarthy could rescue him. The defeat was Aldo’s first since being submitted by Luciano Azevedo 10 years and 16 days prior.
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