On the face of it, a liveblog of a UFC bout should be a great idea. In fact, it worked extremely well for the LA Times for the title fight between Weidman and Rockhold, with the writer Todd Martin painting a wonderful word picture of the fight:
Rockhold briefly looks for a kimura from the bottom but gives that up and stands back up. The fighters trade knees to the body from the clinch. Rockhold grabs a guillotine but doesn't have Weidman's body secured so it's very difficult for him to finish. Rockhold continues to grab the choke, though, and Weidman looks uncomfortable if nothing else.
So when McGregor's quick finish Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds robbed us of some lengthier Martin descriptions that most of the UFC world would have been expected, Martin exceeded himself. It all began in the lead up to the fight, with Martin emphasising the size of the task McGregor had ahead of him:
Jose Aldo is the greatest featherweight in MMA history. He is undefeated for over 10 years. He is the only UFC featherweight champion there has been. A dynamic striker with excellent takedown defense, athleticism and an underrated ground game, he has beaten the best in the world for years. Conor McGregor has talked himself up like perhaps no other fighter in the history of the sport, declaring his greatness since debuting in UFC and winning all his fights for the organization.
Then came the fight, and while Martin had a nice and to the point intro, the coverage of the fight was even more succinct.
McGregor knocks Aldo out cold with his first big punch. It was a left hook as Aldo came in. He followed with a few punches on the ground but they weren't necessary at all.
It's something that a child would say. To the point, and not giving anything else despite the parent pleading for more information. The only way Martin could say any less was as if he went "Punch, down, unnecessary punches. Over".
No wonder Martin was so impressed, the only barely longer post fight thoughts:
Conor McGregor is one of the remarkable stories in sports. The man came in talking about how great he was from day one, talking himself up like few others ever have.
It was like he willed it into being.
See Also: "If McGregor Beats Aldo, I'll Cut Off My Dick"
While the Americans were busy fawning over McGregor's prediction skills, the Brazilians were busy mourning Aldo's reputation. O Globo was more concerned about their champion than the "lightning defeat by his biggest adversary". They did throw some kudos to McGregor's mouthy ways though:
McGregor earned a reputation for outspoken and visionary to provoke their opponents and beat them the way predicted before the fight.
Aldo was no different.
That was what French newspaper Le Figaro focused on too, referring to the McGregor's predictions before comparing his punches to recently dethroned boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko:
The large mouth McGregor did what he had said: put the Brazilian to the canvas in the first round.
The first attack on the Brazilian, Irish countered with a lightning left hook to the jaw before give Klitschko two "hammerfists" on the ground, the referee having already rushed to stop the match.
The Sydney Morning Herald decided to compliment McGregor on his confidence and style and how it has helped his rapid rise in the sport in just over two years:
McGregor, 27, has been gaining popularity in the UFC rapidly since his debut, a mixture of clever trash talk and entertaining fight style endearing him to fans across the world - but many thought Aldo would be a bridge too far for him.
See Also: The Reaction From Jose Aldo's Corner Makes That KO Even More Enjoyable
Picture credit: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
