UFC sets Jose Aldo-Conor McGregor bout for Dec. 12; Rousey not on card
Jose Aldo, right, defeated Chad Mendes by unanimous decision in their featherweight championship bout on Oct. 25, 2014, at UFC 179 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The once-postponed featherweight title fight between Brazil’s Jose Aldo and interim champion Conor McGregor has been scheduled for Dec. 12 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, said Dana White, Ultimate Fighting Championship president.
Aldo (25-1), the UFC’s top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, was forced to withdraw in July from his eighth title defense because of a rib injury suffered in training.
McGregor (18-2) instead fought Chad Mendes, winning the interim title with a second-round technical knockout in a bout that drew a record $7.1-million gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
White originally sought to put on the fight Dec. 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, hoping to include on the card a women’s bantamweight title fight between unbeaten champion Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate.
“There were a lot of other things happening on that date,” White said, referring to college football conference championship games.
White said he expects record sales for the fight.
As for the third meeting between Rousey and Tate, White said he has not determined a date for the fight, but said he is planning it as a main event.
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
