“Surprise, surprise, motherf#ck@rs! The king is back!”
The fighting Irishman displayed a familiar level of brash bravado once again. And rightfully so.
When commentator Joe Rogan caught McGregor’s shoulder signaling the start of the post-fight interview, spectators cannot help but sense the overwhelming relief of the night’s victor.
“It’s one and one. Regroup, boy, and let’s do it again. This time at 155. I came up to 170, faced the bigger man, overcame my adversity. Now if you want a trilogy, it’s on my terms. Come back down to 155 and let’s do it!”
'The Notorious' Conor McGregor waltzed a second time with a dangerous partner in Nate Diaz. This time the Irishman gained the win after a hard-fought match that could be considered as the year’s greatest.
Diaz, 19-11, is a boxer and a jiu jitsu expert. His long-reach and volume punching deny his foe a second to catch a breath. When taken down, his opponent enters a dangerous game of chess in which chokes and locks can come out of nowhere if extreme caution is not exercised.
His durability, too, is second to none. While many can knock him down, only an elite few can actually finish Diaz. The moment blood runs down his face is the moment we know Nate Diaz is going to punish the fighter standing opposite to him.
That was exactly how the Stockton, California native claimed glory in the first outing. Nate Diaz stopped Conor McGregor via rear naked choke that came after he withstood the initial salvo by the fighting pride of Ireland.
“Win or Learn,” exclaimed John Kavanagh, the head coach of McGregor. A dictum he and his protegé took to heart.
The initial meeting
In the first contest held in MGM Grand Arena, Las Vegas (03/05), Conor displayed explosive attacks and relentless pressure. His left hand continuously found its target and bloodied the American. Diaz trailed backwards for the entirety of the first round.
It seemed that winning was inevitable for the Irishman. It’s only a matter of time.
Little did everyone know, his most effective offense would ultimatey become his achilles heel. Yes, his left uppercut, straight, hook and overhand found their target, but many also caught nothing but fresh air. And Conor meant every punch he threw.
Within the same round commentator Mike Goldberg said, “fatigue should not be a factor for either fighter,” McGregor experienced the impossible. He was tired.
Entering the third minute of the second round, Diaz switched the gear on the heavy-breathing featherweight. Nate’s punches started to land flush while his rival’s movement slowed down considerably.
The crowd’s cheers rose as McGregor was staggered by Diaz’ crisp one-two and head-body combinations.
No more fancy spinning kicks and no more of his signature quick-footed karate stance; McGregor was too preoccupied with eating volumes of unanswered combos.
Adding insult to injury (literally), Diaz assumed the role of a school yard bully by grinning and pointing at the obviously stunned McGregor, peppering him with a generous portion of cuss, heckles and slaps.
Whether it be standing up or pressed against the cage, Diaz barraged his opponent untiringly.
Dazed and confused, Conor ducked down and tried to end the onslaught by taking the fight to the canvas. Diaz obliged and quickly scrambled to gain the top position, landing shots until he was able to slither his arms around the throat of the featherweight champion to break the hearts of the many Irish fans in attendance and at home.
“It’s a bitter pill to swallow. I took a shot, I went at it and I feel I was simply inefficient with my energy. Usually I fight a man, in a division I am champion in, and they crumble under those shots. But, Nate took them very well.”
To win, a change of strategy is in order. And Conor’s opportunity to avenge his first lost in the UFC would come five months later.
Adjustment
“Let’s get it on!!”
The signature phrase of referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy commenced the first round of the sophomore dance between the ‘Notorious’ Conor McGregor and Stockton’s Nathan Diaz.
Dublin versus Stockton yet again.
Nobody knew what to expect. The prediction of the fight varies between supporters and analysts alike. Those who had an inclination toward the Irishman confidently foresaw the defeat of the American and vice versa.
The heated encounter between the two superstars leading up to the fight (both camps flung water bottles and an energy drink can at one another during a fail press conference) only added to the intrigue of the match up and fuel the fire of each contender.
Fight promotion at its finest!
It seemed all too familiar at the beginning. The whole world was experiencing a collective dejavù that centered around Las Vegas just for one night.
Despite the palpable familiarity, there was something different about the fight.
He was excellent at switching from being a counterstriker, slipping away from punches and landed his precision power left; to a measured aggressor, pushing forward whenever safe and backing up when it got too hot.
Being a left-handed fighter, Diaz had the tendency to place his body weight on the front left leg when attacking. Copying from the playbook of Diaz’ previous opponent, McGregor capitalized on Diaz' habit and landed numerous hard kicks to the thigh.
Repeating this routine, Diaz was knocked down early several times. First round was for Conor to claim.
Questions flooded the minds of the audiences:
Could this lead to the win for Conor McGregor?
Would his patience and striking economy last him the entire five five-minutes rounds?
Or could his trusty left punches bring him yet to another blemish in his record?
The crowd had to hold their breath as McGregor started to slow down on the third round. The chant for Diaz swelled as he started to land combinations of his own since the closing half of the second round. Up until then, indeed Conor looked phenomenal.
The war ensued on the surface of the cage as both battled for position in the clinch. Pinning his opponent against the wall, Diaz drove his weight on Mcgregor and smothered him with assortment of punches, short elbows and knee strikes.
Dissenters and critics told the 28 years-old Conor Anthony McGregor that he was delusional. In no way whatsoever could the crowned champion of the featherweight division beat the durable Nate Diaz in a welterweight fight.
In December 2015, Conor knocked out a dangerous striker Jose Aldo in thirteen seconds with a timely left hook to the jaw to claim the featherweight championship title.
The aura of invincibility about him increased and his pursuit of greatness lead him to the scheduled match against a grappler-turned-striker lightweight champion Raphael Dos Anjos.
This clash of champions from different weight divisions had never happened before. All waited restlessly to behold the historical fight that would come into fruition.
A twist of fate united the McGregor and Diaz when incumbent champion Dos Anjos was pulled from the fight of a broken foot.
Long story short, here we are, one minute before the start of fourth round in McGregor vs Diaz 2.
A 66 kilogram king versus a 70 kilogram contender; locking horns in an unfamiliar territory of 77 kilogram division.
Digging deep
The prospect did not look good. The Notorious One definitely lost the third round with the fourth coming up and a possibility of a fifth round. The only way to win was not only by beating his arch nemesis, but essentially conquering himself.
Coach Kavanagh said that this was what they were preparing for. McGregor had to dig deep and push through the fatigue and breathlessness if he wanted to avenge his first and only lost in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
We can only imagine what McGregor was thinking during that brief one minute of rest in between rounds. However, we could believe that he was playing back what he said right after his loss to Nate in the press conference:
We could either run from adversity or we can face our adversity head on and conquer it. And that is what I plan to do. I’ll face it. I’ll take it on the chin and I’ll carry on. I’ll learn.
Then the fighters stood up and the stools were taken away…
I truly believe we are all equal as human beings and if we are obsessed with something and we truly pursue our passion with everything we have, regardless of anything else; if you are obsessed work hard, put in the time, you will succeed.
Cornermen from each camp were shooed off the octagon…
That is the philosophy that I carry, my coaches carry. This is hard work, this is obsession. Nothing can beat hard work.
Fighters met in the center…
I will be where I want to be. I am one hundred percent confident and I will make it to the top. I have the skills I have the dedication. It will happen. And I will let you know when it happens.
The fourth round started with the wave of McCarthy's hand.
Immediately, McGregor lashed the right thigh of Diaz with a thudding leg kicks.
The exchanges of strikes on the feet were won by McGregor as he returned fire after Nate missed his marks.
The challenger caught a second wind and power through the pain and exhaustion. His enemy was now cut open, face painted ruby red and slowing down as well.
Despite being forced onto the cage and play the draining clinch game, McGregor managed to break free and continue to score points, securing the fourth round for his own.
The final five minutes came. People were on the edge of their seats. All 15,539 of them captivated by the performance of the warriors before them.
Ref McCarthy started the round for the last time for that night as the fifth round did not only close the fight between the two martial artists, but also close the massive UFC 202 event altogether.
The tattooed fighter lunged at Diaz with a flying knee attempt and fought off take down efforts, and survived a beating dished out in a clinch battle.
Aggression, heavy clinch work and a successful take down after many attempts won Diaz the closing round, albeit McGregor did not go without a fight.
The take away
As soon as the rounds concluded, the bad blood between the competitors dissipated. After taking McGregor to the ground, Diaz helped him up and the two expressed respect for one another.
Make no mistake, the drama and emotions beforehand was as real as it could get. Middle fingers, profanity and trash talks; flying water bottles and energy drink unapologetically described the competitiveness and ego a fighter has to have in order to stay afloat in the terrifyingly deep sea filled with hungry competitors.
Of course, a fight does not have to be built upon negativity.
However, truth be told, how would you expect two people trying to separate each other from their consciousness ought to behave? After all, these are the modern day equivalent of gladiators fighting on the sands of Colosseum, spilling their blood and guts for the entertainment of the paying lot.
Announcer Bruce Buffer entered the arena. Referee John McCarthy put Diaz and McGregor on his right and left side respectively.
Buffer addressed the crowd and read out the decision rendered by the judges.
48-47 for McGregor. 47-47 Draw. And finally 48-47 for the winner by Majority decision, the Notorious Conor McGregor.
Like every close fights, there were some detractors of the result. Only one can be chosen as the winner. This is how the heartbreaking game of MMA works.
Despite that, none of the fighters were really a loser. Each brought to the table remarkable display of heart and perseverance.
Both deserving of the respect and admiration of the often polarized UFC fandom.
Even more so on the side of the Irishman who had to jumped up two weight classes to fight and ultimately defeat the heavier, taller and dangerous Nate Diaz.
“This was a hell of an important fight for me. Everyone, from the media to the fighters, wrote me off this one. They tried to say if I lose this one I’m done,” said the Irishman with a fresh fight record of 20 wins and 3 losses.
And done he is not. With this win, the scale has been balance to one victory each. A third and final fight is in order to complete the epic trilogy that could be placed among the greatest rivalries in the UFC’s young history.
It should be interesting if the fight would be agreed to be held in the neutral ground of lightweight division, in which both have extensive experience (Conor was a lightweight champion in Cage Warrior Fighting Championship and Nate is a veteran contender in UFC lightweight class).
One should practice discretion when deriving his or her values from the world of prize fighting. Violence and undue aggression must never be permitted in our daily lives.
How unpleasant would our society be if conflict of interests are solved through the bashing of heads?
However, one cannot help but admire the display of limitless human spirit and resolve by these athletes who rise to the occasion; rise in the face of adversity to achieve victory and cement their legacy in the memory of many people.
With the ability to dig deep when facing extreme challenge like McGregor, or the durability to endure hardships and capitalize when the chance reveals itself like Diaz, what can we achieve in life?
