The moments before Aldo-McGregor, in hindsight, predicted the outcome for the entire fight. McGregor pounced around the ring like a cat. At one point, he seemed to do the Worm. Aldo, though he looked loose on the walk to the Octagon, seemed to withdraw within himself. He looked to the mat, either in fear or absolute concentration. Thirteen seconds into the fight, Aldo had a much better view of the mat.
In a fascinating post-fight interview, Conor McGregor singled out the influence of movement coach Ido Portal, who McGregor brought into camp this week to instill a sense of calm and liberation. McGregor spoke of his fascination with the philosophy of movement, and Portal's influence during the final pressure-filled days before the fight seemed monumental.
McGregor goes out of his way to include mention of Portal and how he helped transform his preparations for the fight. Portal's website describes his passion for MMA and capoeira, and his interest in 'movement culture'.
We brought Ido in for fight week. It’s about entering the contest fresh with your body supple and free. Bringing Ido in this week was phenomenal. It challenged the body. It refocused the mind. There was no contact. I felt free. In control and free.
It was intriguing to contrast McGregor's post-fight reactions to that of Luke Rockhold, who spoke immediately of his staph infections and the pain he had been living with all week before the fight. McGregor seems to have transceneded pain entirely via the help of Portal.
See Also: The Secret Behind Conor McGregor's Impressive Movement
Portal famously had McGregor and Gunnar Nelson tight-rope walking on railings in California last week.
