Conor McGregor called Jose Aldo's gameplan before his extraordinary KO to win the UFC featherweight belt

Five years have passed since Conor McGregor captured the UFC featherweight belt from Jose Aldo in UFC 194. With a left-hand punch to Aldo's jaw, McGregor only needed 13 seconds to finish the fight, setting a title fight record.

In a now-historic interview with MMA analyst Robin Black ahead of the bout, the Irishman predicted with incredible accuracy how he would defeat Aldo. That fight would be the start of his journey to becoming the first UFC fighter to hold titles in two different divisions simultaneously.

"I think the right hand could be [a problem] if you look at the [face-off video]. When we stared down, I felt his [Aldo] right hand was twitching a little bit. It was a subtle tell for me [that] he is ready to unload that right hand. But I feel that [it] could be a downfall for him if he lets that right hand go. I will not be there."

5 years ago. Time flies when you’re doing what you were put on Earth to do. Much respect to ⁦@TheNotoriousMMA⁩. Love to you and your family sir. #BINK pic.twitter.com/7f0yXNATFc

— Robin Black (@robinblackmma) December 12, 2020

Besides the interview, footage of McGregor practicing the same movement he would use to knockout Aldo emerged online after the title fight.

"Five years ago today! Wow! Unified UFC featherweight World champion! I worked so hard for i. I was able to predict exactly how it would happen! Thank you for all the kind messages."

5 years ago today! Wow! Unified UFC featherweight World champion! I worked so hard for it, I was able to predict exactly how it would happen!Thank you for all the kind messages ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4yjNIbj7Jp

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 12, 2020

Reflecting on what made it possible for him to win the UFC featherweight title from an unbeaten opponent until that point, McGregor acknowledged Aldo's qualities but deemed his own precision and timing as the real factors that decided the bout.

"Again, nobody can take that left-hand shot," said McGregor in the post-fight interview. "[Aldo's] powerful, and he's fast. But precision beats power, and timing beats speed. And that's what you saw there."

What's next for Conor McGregor?

In the same interview that saw Conor McGregor predicting his win against Jose Aldo, the Irish fighter also prophesized about the future of UFC as a whole and how he was changing the 'game.'

"I'm an innovator. I am surrounded by innovators in my camp in my training. So, it has shown itself here in live fighting. We are innovating the game," said McGregor. "I look around the game. I see lesser versions of myself, people trying to implement our way of thinking, which is the correct way of thinking, so I respect that. But at the end of the day, it is just a watered-down version of myself, so I respect it, but I cannot fear it. I'm happy to be leading the way."

That title fight with Aldo was the first real sign of the legend McGregor would become in the UFC. The promotion's most profitable and popular athlete would transcend the barriers of fighting sports with an MMA vs. boxing contest when he faced Floyd Mayweather in 2017.

McGregor will fight again in January 2021 in a rematch with Dustin Poirier. In their first encounter, 'The Notorious' defeated Poirier in under two minutes and established himself as a UFC featherweight title contender at the time.

You can watch McGregor's full interview with Robin Black before fighting Aldo here: