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On December 12 2015, the UFC will host what many have been saying is their biggest event since UFC 100 in 2009. Next Saturday UFC 194 features a main event of Conor McGregor taking on Jose Aldo for the Unified UFC Featherweight Championship in a battle that has been nearly a year in the making.

The fight had originally been scheduled to take place back at UFC 189 in July, however Jose Aldo suffered a rib injury less than two weeks ahead of the bout, meaning an interim title was put in place and Chad Mendes called up on late notice as a replacement for Aldo, reports James Edwards from MMA Latest News.

After weathering an early storm from Mendes, McGregor prevailed to take the interim strap and set up one of the most highly anticipated clashes in recent UFC history, a unification title fight with Jose Aldo at UFC 194 this coming Saturday.

McGregor comes into the fight with a perfect UFC record having defeated Marcus Brimage, Max Holloway, Diego Brandao, Dustin Poirier and the aforementioned Chad Mendes.

Four of his wins have come inside the distance, the exception being his fight with Max Holloway where even after suffering a totally torn Anterior-Cruciate Ligament in his knee, he still took a decision victory unanimously on the judge’s scorecards.

(Image: Getty)

McGregor not only brings form into the fight, but also an unnerving confidence that not many, if anyone in the UFC right now can compete with. Speaking in a recent interview McGregor even went as far as saying:

"I'm hungry right now. I'm prepared to kill this man and unify the belts … we'll see what they have to say after Jose crumbles inside one."

McGregor may be oozing with confidence but his opponent, Jose Aldo will be equally, if not more sure of his own abilities to get the job done on Saturday night.

Jose Aldo is considered by many to be the UFC’s pound-for-pound number one fighter and rightfully so, the facts speak for themselves.

(Image: Getty)

Aldo is unbeaten in the last ten years, a record lasting since November 26th 2005 until today. His entire decade of invincibility has seen him hold the UFC Featherweight championship for 5 years, his record including 18 fights, 10 title fights and 9 title defences.

During this time many a future UFC Hall Of Fame names has been added to his list of conquests, including Uriah Faber, Chad Mendes (twice) and Frankie Edgar. Though his wins as of late have been mostly by decision those only with short memories will forget the devastating stoppages that littered his early career.

Alone both their records and abilities combined would make for an intriguing unification title fight, however interest and anticipation for the fight have grown to fever pitch with the ongoing mental warfare and the words that have been exchanged over the last twelve-months.

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As you would expect, both Aldo and McGregor remain adamant they will be the victor on Saturday 12th and both are going into the fight with an extreme amount of confidence:

Aldo stated recently in an interview to FOX: "I believe I'm going to win this fight and I have no doubt about it, but I don't think he'll go away. He kind of put Ireland on the map and he did a lot for the country so I believe he's going to go a different way. He might go the Chael Sonnen way and maybe talk himself into another title shot, but I don't think he's going to completely go away because he did a lot for where he came from so he's always going to be there."

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Whilst Aldo remains totally focused on the upcoming fight, McGregor already has his one eye on a wider prize and the cementing of his legacy in the sport:

“I will K-O Jose Aldo and I will face the winner of the lightweight belt, which takes place a week after, and then I will fight for that. So within the next few fights, I will be a two-weight world champion. I'm looking to achieve what I achieved in my previous promotion and collect two belts in two different weight divisions. Hold them consecutively, defend them consecutively, and carry on.”

McGregor may have his future mentally mapped but only one thing will be on the minds of both the Irishmen and Jose Aldo next week when the cage door shuts and that is exiting the Octagon the UFC’s Unified Featherweight Champion.