Will History Be Made? UFC 194 Could Go Down As Best Event Ever

An event like UFC 194 doesn’t come around too often.

Situated smack-dab in the middle of the promotion’s historic December schedule, the looming card is building up to accomplish greatness.

The headliner, a featherweight unification bout between champion Jose Aldo and interim titleholder Conor McGregor, is being revered as the most anticipated championship tilt since Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II. There’s no mistaking the aura surrounding this impending classic, making it a necessity come Dec. 12.

But as the sheets are pulled back and a complete five-fight main card is revealed, our senses begin to tingle. Can this truly go down as the best UFC event ever? One that surpasses the likes of UFC 100 and UFC 189?

That sort of history has yet to be written, but the stars are aligning for UFC 194 to capture ultimate glory.

Here is why the promotion’s last pay-per-view of 2015 will be its finest to date.

Reason 1: The chess match

We are rarely presented with the opportunity to witness two of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts today go toe-to-toe in style.

The last time we were given such a privilege came when Frank Mir snapped Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira’s arm at UFC 140.

Luckily, MMA possesses a history that often repeats itself, as world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners Demian Maia and Gunnar Nelson will lock arms, legs, and horns at UFC 194.

Nelson’s Karate-driven offense could separate him from the crafty veteran on the feet, but there’s no telling what can happen when the two welterweights hit the mat. It’s simply one of those unpredictable toss-ups that come along once a year.

While a battle of positions, transitions, and ground ambitions may not satisfy the angry appetite of casual fight fans yearning for a knockout, Maia vs. Nelson will be like watching Bobby Fischer take down Russia.

Reason 2: The best of two worlds

Besides the aforementioned Demian Maia, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza is widely considered the best BJJ crossover to ever compete inside of a cage.

His legendary dominance throughout countless world tournaments has essentially pegged him as the most dangerous ground guru in the UFC today, and one who has compiled 16 finishes by submission in just 22 professional wins.

Needless to say, the former Strikeforce middleweight kingpin has all the tools needed to make a run at gold right now. But what will happen when one of the greatest grappling specialists in MMA history bumps chests with an Olympic wrestler?

That’s what we’re going to find out when Souza encounters the hulking Yoel Romero at UFC 194.

As a destructive powerhouse capable of knocking out the very best at 185 pounds, Romero has made a habit out of using his world-class wrestling skills to keep fights standing. It has resulted in five finishes by knockout or TKO in just six Octagon appearances.

Souza has also demonstrated an ability to land heavy shots of late, but his best chance to capture victory lies with his willingness to attempt to take down a muscle-bound monster.

Reason 3: Middleweight history

Forget all the memorable middleweight title fights involving the great Anderson Silva. Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold at UFC 194 is undoubtedly the best championship tilt in division history.

As the only undefeated champion to ever grace the 185-pound throne, Weidman is on the cusp of immortality. He has essentially butchered his way through the remains of legendary Brazilian fighters en route to becoming a bona fide pound-for-pound threat.

However, he has arguably never faced a middleweight contender in his prime. Rockhold represents just that, as he has ascended the divisional ladder on the heels of four straight finishes over the likes of Lyoto Machida and Michael Bisping.

It has been a long time coming for the former Strikeforce middleweight champion, so it’s going to be interesting to see if Rockhold can come into his own, rise to the occasion, and defeat an unbeaten New Yorker with world-class skill.

This is a championship matchup that boasts one of the most even-keeled head-to-toe breakdowns of the year. And a co-main event that could easily outshine the top billing.

Reason 4: McGregor’s culmination

Like him or not, Conor McGregor is a once-in-a-lifetime type of athlete. For reasons beyond his entrancing striking and legendary microphone skills, he isn’t your ordinary fighter.

From countless press tours to a head coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter, few fighters have blazed a path as quickly as McGregor has. And the one who did just happened to get knocked out by Holly Holm in front of 70,000 screaming Australians.

So it’s going to truly be a moment when the Irishman steps inside of the Octagon at UFC 194 and finally stares down the only featherweight champion in UFC history.

The promotion has put so much effort behind the evolution of McGregor as a marketable product that the pressure put on the 27-year-old to beat Jose Aldo in fashion is utterly staggering.

If he can capture the true 145-pound strap on Dec. 12, “The Notorious” will be on the fast track to solidifying his spot as one of the greatest featherweights of all time.

Reason 5: Jose Aldo’s legacy

UFC 194 is the Conor McGregor show and for good reason. The budding Irish superstar has brought attention to a division nearly left for dead just a few years ago.

But while the majority of the focus entering the main event will be on McGregor and his opportunity to finally cash the check his mouth has written ten times over, the MMA world must pay attention to Jose Aldo’s professional pinnacle.

As a fighter drawn from the streets of Brazil, Aldo has transformed his life by warding off every kind of danger inside of the cage. His efforts have rendered him the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world today and an unparalleled force who hasn’t tasted defeat since 2005.

In hindsight, UFC 194 should be a spectacle scripted just for Aldo. Forget about McGregor’s rise, Weidman’s perfection, Rockhold’s coming out party, Souza’s path to a title, Romero’s unstoppable momentum, Maia’s last push towards gold, and Nelson’s passing at the torch.

At the end of the day, Aldo’s legacy in this sport will finally receive the recognition it deserves, win or lose. Everything else is icing on a PPV cake that already tastes like greatness.