As promised, development studio Electronic Arts has named current UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor as the second cover athlete for the upcoming "EA Sports UFC 2" fighting game.
The studio made the decision based on the results of the UFC 194 held on December 12 at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena, MMA Junkie reported.
Days before the fight, Electronic Arts had already stated that the next UFC athlete who will join Ronda Rousey on the cover of the upcoming game will be the victor of the UFC 194's unification bout. And, as seen by fight fans around the world, McGregor was able to secure both the cover spot and championship title on Saturday after knocking out former champion Jose Aldo.
Dubbed as the reigning KO king, McGregor ended the bout in just 13 seconds of the first round. This is currently the fastest title match in the history of the UFC. The fight started with McGregor rushing to secure the center of the Octagon. As Aldo came closer, McGregor threw a straight left followed by a leg kick to keep his opponent at bay.
But, when Aldo tried to rush McGregor, the latter back away and threw a left punch. The hook connected with Aldo's jaw and immediately knocked him out. As he dropped on the mat, McGregor jumped on him to deliver two hammer fists before the fight was stopped by the referee.
"Nobody can take that left-handed shot," McGregor said after the about according to CBS Sports. "(Aldo's) powerful and he's fast, but precision beats power and timing beats speed."
"He was a phenomenal champion, and he deserved to go a little bit longer, but it would have happened sooner or later," he added.
As noted by Electronic Arts, this is the first time that the covert art for a game was directly determined by a real-life fighting event. Immediately after the pay-per-view event, the studio revealed the cover of the game featuring McGregor standing behind former UFC Women's Division champ Rousey.
It's probably fitting that McGregor was chosen as the second cover star of "EA Sports UFC 2" given the way he finished the fight since the upcoming game will feature an all-new knockout system.
According to the studio, the new system is physics-based and will provide more unique ways for players to put their opponents to sleep.
"A revolutionary new physics-driven hit reaction and knockout system delivers more visceral, more rewarding and more authentic KOs than ever before," the studio said on the game's website. "Every knockout is now unique, and finishing the fight has never been more satisfying."
