McGregor agreed instead to fight Diaz in a welterweight bout, and Diaz finished the flyweight champion with a rear naked choke in the second round, ending McGregor’s 15-match winning streak.
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McGregor won a majority decision – by scores of 48-47 twice and one 47-47.
Given McGregor’s success throughout his career at both feather and light – not to mention that desire to become a double champ – it’s not surprising he would want a third fight with Diaz this time to be at lightweight and help him build back towards that goal. “The king is back”.
“Look, I’d whoop Conor McGregor’s ass, and I’d whoop the boy who whooped Conor’s ass (Nate Diaz)! So I knew (what) I was up against, and I was thinking in my head “maybe this could be a mistake”, but I said ‘f-ck it.’ I trained hard, be smart, learned from my mistakes and go in”.
The Irishman said he was patient and picked his time when to attack his opponent.
“Whenever they’re ready to rock, but I ain’t doing [anything] until we go for round three”, Diaz said after pocketing a guaranteed $2 million plus a fight-of-the-night bonus.
The New Jersey native has been very outspoken about wanting a fight with the Irishman and if McGregor is fit enough to do so, it could set up a memorable title fight at UFC 205 in the UFC’s first ever show in New York City on November 12. According to FightMetric data, Diaz connected with two more significant strikes, 166-164, than McGregor across five rounds of intense battle. You see me chasing him around like that, and pointing saying ‘where you going?’ He was afraid to engage. Come back to 155 [pounds].
If and when McGregor vs. Diaz 3 happens, McGregor wants it at at 155 pounds, not 170, where the first two took place. Still, McGregor’s top choice, in terms of payday, has to be a trilogy bout with Diaz.
The judges narrowly scored the fight for McGregor after a war of attrition which saw both men ship heavy punishment. I wasn’t going drastically for [a submission]; I should have.
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is one of the most loved fighters now on the UFC roster. McGregor pummeled Diaz with multiple shots in the first round, giving Diaz a bloody facial gash, but Diaz weathered the storm and countered with a few shots of his own near the end of the round.
Fight of the Night was awarded to the main event.
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“Everyone from the media to the fighters – nobody had me in this one and they tried to say if I lose this one, I’m done”, he said.
