After knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds, McGregor paid his respects to the former champion.

McGregor said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference:

“Jose has been a phenomenal champion. It would’ve been nice if the contest had of stretched out a little bit longer just for all that it’s been through, but I still feel the same process would’ve happened. Timing beats speed; precision beats power. That’s it. I respect Jose. I wish him well, but now we are on to the next chapter.”

 

After the fight, still in the Octagon, McGregor reached out to Aldo, and feeling sorry for him, offered him rematch:

“What I said was, ‘Look we can go again.’ Although it’s a nice feeling to get that knockout, it’s kind of not nice because you can see what’s happening around,” McGregor said.

“You don’t want to see the only champion in the company’s history going out like that. I had a little moment where I felt sorry for Jose.

“It’s been a long road, and I appreciate that he showed up here and made the journey. Because I have no doubt there were options to pull [out] like the last time. This time he stuck around. I just said we can do it again, but he was off in his own world, I believe. They are probably still resentful and bitter towards it. Like I said: Winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.”

“That’s on him. That’s up to him what way he goes about his next step. I feel he could take a step back, re-center himself,” McGregor said.

“It’s not the same when you sign to fight me. It’s a completely different pressure. He felt the pressure like he’d never felt before; that’s because he was facing me… I think Jose should go back, regroup, get back in line for a No. 1 contender spot and go from there.”