Conor McGregor vs Jose Aldo: Clip highlights how brilliant Notorious was at mind games

One of the most, if not the most, famous knockouts in UFC history came seven years ago when the loud and boisterous Irishman Conor McGregor and Brazilian champion Jose Aldo faced off to unify the featherweight title belts on December 12.

Most will remember the fight due to the short time in which it was over, a short but sweet 13 seconds. Following a step back and sharp left hand counter from McGregor, flooring the charging Aldo, the Irishman then pounced on the fallen champion with hammer fists before referee John McCarthy stepped in and subsequently crowned McGregor as the new king of the sport.

To see Aldo charging in so recklessly and hastily was unusual for the experienced fighter that he was, however, many believe that it is signifying of how McGregor won the fight before it even started. He utilised one of his most effective tools in winning the mind-games over Aldo and making the defending champion angry and tense, which any fighter will tell you is a recipe for disaster entering the Octagon, where discipline and patience are needed.

So, how exactly did McGregor get under the Brazilian’s skin so much?

Firstly, the fight was delayed from July to December and so the press conferences and junkets for the fight had been going on for most of a whole year by the time that they eventually fought. Luckily for us as fans, that just meant more classic McGregor pre-fight material, in which ‘The Notorious’ used humour, threats and all round confidence to unnerve Aldo.

One of the most notable features of McGregor’s pre-fight mind games is his use of humour. Aldo tried defusing the effect of McGregor’s sharp tongue by labelling him as “a clown” and “joker”, but it is clear that McGregor’s verbal onslaughts were