For the first time in gaming history, development studio Electronic Arts will choose the second cover athlete for the "EA Sports UFC 2" title based on the outcome of the upcoming fight between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor. The winner of the fight will automatically secure a spot with the first UFC female champion Ronda Rousey on the game's cover.
According to MMA Weekly, current undisputed champion Aldo and interim title-holder McGregor are scheduled to square off on December 12, 2015, during the main event of UFC 194 event happening in Las Vegas. The match between the two fighters will be a unification bout for the UFC featherweight championship title.
Aside from the highly coveted championship belt, the two fighters will also face off for the title of the next cover athlete for "EA Sports UFC 2." Immediately after the fight, EA will release the official cover for the upcoming game featuring Rousey and the winner of the bout.
As noted by EA through a recent press release, this will be the first time than an actual sporting event will determine a game's cover art. For Dana White, the president of UFC, EA's decision to tie-up the upcoming game with the championship match is very fitting.
"The main event at UFC 194 between Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor is without a doubt one of the most anticipated events in UFC history," he said in a statement. "Aldo and McGregor are two of the biggest stars in the world and it's fitting that next Saturday night the winner not only becomes the undisputed UFC featherweight champion, but also the second global cover athlete of 'EA Sports UFC 2.'"
Electronic Arts has not yet announced a specific release date for "EA Sports UFC 2" but according to IGN, the game will most likely come out in spring next year. The professional mixed martial arts-themed game will be available for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 once it debuts.
The first installment in the series, "EA Sports UFC," was launched on June 17, 2014 for Sony and Microsoft's next-gen consoles. A port of the game then made its way to the iOS and Android platforms in April of this year.
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