Conor McGregor 'not sold' that Jose Aldo will show up to UFC 194 title fight as Frankie Edgar waits in the wings

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Conor McGregor is not convinced Jose Aldo will turn up to their UFC showdown in December, after the Brazilian pulled out of their last fight with a rib injury.

McGregor was scheduled to face featherweight champion Aldo at UFC 189 in July, but ended up knocking out Chad Mendes to pick up the interim strap in the Brazilian's absence.

The pair are sledged to go at it again at UFC 194 on December 12, but with the UFC already installing former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar as a back-up – the Irishman is less than certain he will finally get his hands on the UFC's pound-for-pound king.

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Conor McGregor sits with his interim featherweight belt at a UFC's Go Big press conference last month

Jose Aldo (left) and McGregor (right), held apart by UFC president Dana White, nearly came to blows

McGregor (right) TKO'd stand-in Chad Mendes (left) at UFC 189, which Aldo missed through injury

'If he shows up - I'm still not sold that he'll show up,' McGregor told the Takeover Q&A at the Wright Venue.

'I've spent four days filming for the UFC countdown show to be released in a couple of weeks; they've been following me to training, following me here and there.

'But they aren't filming him, because they said nothing's changed since the last time, but he pulled out, that changed.

'How can you film a man pulling out of a contest and not have him and his coach answer for it?'

If Aldo (left) is unable to fight on December 12, former UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar (right) will fill in

McGregor (right) unleshes a kick on Mendes (left) on his way to picking up the interim featherweight title

The Notorious has long maintained that the Brazilian, who has not fought since his five-round war with Mendes in October 2014, is 'scared' to face him.

No 2 ranked featherweight Frankie Edgar and No 3 ranked Chad Mendes are booked to fight in a number one contenders bout on the night before UFC 194, but that fight would be scrapped and Edgar shoehorned into the following night's card should McGregor or Aldo pick up an injury.

While the self proclaimed 'Mystic Mac' successfully predicted that Aldo would not make their last bout, even if the Brazilian does show up – McGregor is confident in victory.

'I'm not a million per cent he'll show up. If he shows up, he'll be too emotional and, even if I half feint, he'll overreact and drain all his energy.

'He'll overload on a shot, I'll slip and big him with a left hand and put him away.'