UFC 202 Event Thread: Diaz v McGregor 2 (Information in OP)

Dempsey

Mellor wrote: »

that fight wasn't really welter weight, he wasn't carrying WW muscle,
He won't be any smaller at LW.

Maybe not on fight night but he'll have to cut 15 pounds for a weight in. Its a significant different for training and diet

That_Guy

I'm still in awe. Only surfaced about 40 minutes ago. I think once the post-mortem and analysis is done this week on various podcasts, I'll watch it back. I just want to savour that absolute war.

It was Lawler/MacDonald levels of epicness.

sonofenoch

McGregor via Submission

JJayoo wrote: »

I think McG will vacate the 145 belt. The thought of training for a 145 fight while trying to lose muscle mass is a horrid thought.

I think a fight with Cowboy at 155 would be a big money fight and also very attractive for mma fans.

I cant see him coming close to Alverze, he would be taken down and smoothered.

A fight against RDA at 155 would also be an option but again I just can't see him winning that, I feel he would be on the wrong side of a leg kicking fest in that match up.

Diaz does infuriate me with this I'm tough I don't check leg kick bullsh1t.

In general I think both fighters came away with a win from that fight, huge payday, a 5round war, Both guys dominant at times.

You're having your caking and eating it....no both fighters did not come away with a win from that fight no more than they did from the first, there was 1 winner!......so now he won't beat able to touch either Alvarez or RDA.....I don't post snoop but will go out on a limb and say you probably said the same about Diaz, he just beat him ......no 2 winners about it

Notorious

That_Guy wrote: »

I'm still in awe. Only surfaced about 40 minutes ago. I think once the post-mortem and analysis is done this week on various podcasts, I'll watch it back. I just want to savour that absolute war..

A little off topic, but what podcasts would you recommend?

That_Guy

Notorious wrote: »

A little off topic, but what podcasts would you recommend?

To be honest, I only listen to two MMA related podcasts.

The MMA Hour (usually lasts near 4 hours :pac:) with Ariel Helwani. Interviews a lot of fighters and recaps the weekend's action across the UFC/WSOF/Bellator mostly. Solid interviewer and has a lot of really good guests on his show and has often had fighters break news before it reaches official channels as such.

The MMA Beat: Weekly hourly show that recaps the big stories of the week. Also with Ariel Helwani, Chuck Mindenhall, Luke Thomas and Jeff Waggenheim.

Both can be watched live on YouTube too.

I used to be a regular listener to MMA Junkie Radio but wasn't too pushed on the hosts so stopped listening.

Depp

McGregor via Submission

That_Guy wrote: »

To be honest, I only listen to two MMA related podcasts.

The MMA Hour (usually lasts near 4 hours :pac:) with Ariel Helwani. Interviews a lot of fighters and recaps the weekend's action across the UFC/WSOF/Bellator mostly. Solid interviewer and has a lot of really good guests on his show and has often had fighters break news before it reaches official channels as such.

The MMA Beat: Weekly hourly show that recaps the big stories of the week. Also with Ariel Helwani, Chuck Mindenhall, Luke Thomas and Jeff Waggenheim.

Both can be watched live on YouTube too.

I used to be a regular listener to MMA Junkie Radio but wasn't too pushed on the hosts so stopped listening.

the severe podcast can be good craic too and talking brawls is pretty good aswel

Deadst4r

McGregor via Submission

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

When I saw infamous 'gas' face come along I feared the worst. I remember, I think it was some boxer, or maybe Alvarez who said you just can't up cardio that much in 6months, said if he lasted 7 mins in the last one he'd maybe last 9 minutes in the rematch. Which was pretty much bang on. By last I mean obviously that he was showing serious signs of fatigue.

How he navigated the last three rounds was nothing short of incredible. I think conor proved he has the better stand up.

The way I see it, it lines up Aldo -> Diaz -> LW title shot. I think Dana will stick to his guns on stripping the belt if he refuses to fight aldo. Conor wants that two weight thing more than anything imo.

Love this post, dat gas face.

This is what you were referrring to, very interesting listen for anyone btw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCPoHt0UD2k

I remember hearing this at the time and thinking, 'these guys are 100% right'

Deadst4r

McGregor via Submission

Deadst4r wrote: »

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

When I saw infamous 'gas' face come along I feared the worst. I remember, I think it was some boxer, or maybe Alvarez who said you just can't up cardio that much in 6months, said if he lasted 7 mins in the last one he'd maybe last 9 minutes in the rematch. Which was pretty much bang on. By last I mean obviously that he was showing serious signs of fatigue.

How he navigated the last three rounds was nothing short of incredible. I think conor proved he has the better stand up.

The way I see it, it lines up Aldo -> Diaz -> LW title shot. I think Dana will stick to his guns on stripping the belt if he refuses to fight aldo. Conor wants that two weight thing more than anything imo.

Love this post, dat gas face.

This is what you were referrring to, very interesting listen for anyone btw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCPoHt0UD2k

I remember hearing this at the time and thinking, 'these guys are 100% right'

God damn time stamp didn't work and now it won't let me edit the post.

Skip to 2:15 for the relevant discussion.

jigglypuffstuff

Diaz via Decision

StringerBell wrote: »

Having rewatched it

Round 1. Clear 10-9 for Conor
Round 2. Not as clean cut as some make out but again 10-9 Conor
Round 3. 10-8 Nate, I can see the arguments for and against a 10-8 but that is how I have scored it twice now.
Round 4. Again quite close 10-9 Conor but I could give this round a draw
Round 5. Takedown ensures a 10-9 for Nate

All in all

Conor 47
Nate 47

As I said previously, I can still totally understand how Conor got the decision, I think on reflection a draw would have been the fairest outcome, initial watching swayed me to Diaz as Nate was always moving forward, coming on strong and McGregor was fighting off the back foot so was giving Nate points for aggression, on reflection he was not doing enough to ensure he won the rounds and was getting tagged too often. McGregor was hanging on plenty of times but he was allowed to, and crucially had the heart to.

If Nate had done a little less taunting (which was fun admittedly) and gone after McGregor properly when he was trying to move away and regain his breath it might have been different for him, if he had managed to get him down earlier in the fight I am sure it would have been different but McGregor's TD defence was solid.

McGregor showed also that despite being incredibly riled in the pre fight, he was stone cold in the fight itself, a credit to him. Game plan was perfect in round 1, he needs to do work on his gas tank though, then again if he can blow most opponents away early in a fight he won't need to. Diaz is durable as **** and not everybody would be able to take what was thrown at him in round 1.

Again I would say, great performance from both men and I cannot wait for part 3 of this one.

+1

I scored that at 47-47 also...Im surprised the other two judges didnt but hey, sometimes thats just how it goes

I prefer Diaz as a fighter personally, but I'm glad they gave it to Conor because that makes Diaz V McGregor #3 a fight that really is winner take all

Had Nate won it, I dont think we'd be in for another war like that

Absolute one of the best fights I've seen, tremendous performances from both. Conor was a lot more impressive this time...although i was a little surprised how much he retreated in the later rounds

Cant wait for #3...Would love if it was for the 155lb belt

Deadst4r

McGregor via Submission

sonofenoch wrote: »

SterlingArcher wrote: »

In my eyes Diaz won. Simply put. Without that octagon and a time limit Conor was done for. fact.



Diaz was relentless. Taking hits and pointing at Conor making him rattle. Conor was the only one during the fight I could sense being knocked clean out had a round not ended.

.

Most ridiculous thing I've ever read on the topic, congratulations

This is absolutely hilarious

froog

amazing some people can't accept he won. it was clear as day. every MMA pundit gave it to mcgregor.

what an epic fight.

Richard tea

McGregor via Submission

sonofenoch wrote: »

You're having your caking and eating it....no both fighters did not come away with a win from that fight no more than they did from the first, there was 1 winner!......so now he won't beat able to touch either Alvarez or RDA.....I don't post snoop but will go out on a limb and say you probably said the same about Diaz, he just beat him ......no 2 winners about it

Sometimes its just too hard and most likely too painful for some lads to admit defeat.

Very impressed with megreggor defending the take down attempts. It's bs from Diaz saying he didn't really put effort into them. What a load of crap.

Zero-Cool

McGregor via Submission

Watching live, I had it a draw but was waiting for the judges to give it to Nate. Just watched it back again and it was clearly 48-47 to Conor. There were no 10-8 rounds. Round 3 was just Conor tired and getting swarmed but he hit nate with enough significant strikes to keep it at 10-9.

What I'm most impressed with was Round 4. Conor's performance in that was absolutely epic seeing how rd. 3 finished. Incredible comeback.

Joe can be biased but he was talking some shyte during the fight. "Conor's rocked, he's wobbled, he's hurt". I remember believing him last night but watching it back, wasn't half as bad as Joe was making out.

Really looking forward to the 3rd fight at 155 for the title after Conor 1st round KO's Eddie. Sorry Khabib but you're just gonna have to wait a little while longer

dave1982

Diaz via Submission

Anyone else notice Conor get a box in chest and seemed to take wind out of him?

Think it was in 2nd round, you could see air just go from him.

I had it a draw to be honest but not surprised Conor got it

Alf Veedersane

SterlingArcher wrote: »

A longer round more rounds. My point is. Conor survived the fight. He knows it.

So if the 100m was kept going until 900m, Usain Bolt is beaten by Rudisha so Bolt isn't really the winner.

darced

Diaz via Submission

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finglashoop

I had nate myself but thought theyd call a draw. Mcgregor slowed down a lot. With proper cardio his striking is exceptional as is his timing against a bigger slower opponent. Cant see mcgregor rushing back for a third fight.

I suppose the five rounds will help and the diaz gas tank is ridiculous. Thought the first knockdown nate was trying to get him to come down to the ground and he wasnt steady on that front leg after the first. Why himself and avila earlier didn't check kicks is baffling

Surprised noone mentioned mcgregors take down defence which was very good up til the last ten seconds.

Leg kicks where the way to go, possibly stopped doing it if it was starting to affect him. Aldo may well do the same to mcgregor but id be surprised if mcgregor goes back down.

py2006

I was raging...

Set my alarm for 5am thinking it would be a 5.30am start. Missed the first round!!

DeVore

Diaz via Decision

Mcg won but by the slimmest of margins. Diaz is his kryptonite. Cardio for days, great ground game and a head made of brick.

I said in the other thread that McGregor wouldn't be able to put Diaz away but props to him for toughing it out through his cardio issues (he didn't work a huge amount in the first two rounds and still gassed)... I also said the way McG wins is by out pointing his opponent (if Diaz couldn't get him to the ground) which is exactly what happened. McG's take down defence basically won the fight for him in that regard.
The surprising thing was that he pushed through adversity and stayed in the fight. We knew Diaz was tough but so it seems is McG.

CSF

darced wrote: »

It was not clear as day, one of the judges scored it a draw. I scored it for Conor but I don't see the point in pretending it wasn't a super close back and forth struggle for the ages.

While I agree with this to an extent, I think the closest it could realistically (you'll have people on the internet saying any oul sh*te) be called is a draw. I think 2, 4 and 5 are all comprehensive rounds. 2 to Conor, 1 to Nate. This was unanimous with the judges which isn't surprising.

1 could have easily been 10-8 Conor, none of the judges called it that way and that's fine. 3 could have easily been 10-8 to Diaz, 1 judge called it that way and that's fine.

But the reality of the situation is that neither round 1 or round 3 were comprehensive enough that all 3 judges were gonna call it 10-8. Conor didn't follow up his knockdown and good shots with further aggression. He talked about that after the fight and said he didn't want to 'smother his work'. That cost him a 10-8 in the round I think.

In round 3, that flurry Nate went into was 10-8 material, in a vacuum. Conor looked shaken and was saved by the bell. But IMO the only way 3 judges are gonna call that fight 10-8 is if they all take the last maybe minute and a half of the round in a vacuum, and don't take into account that Conor was on top in the round upto that point. That costs Nate a 10-8 in my scoring of the fight at least.

So it comes back to the other 3 rounds really. Conor took 2, Nate takes 1 and IMO Conor would have been really really hard done by if all 3 judges score round 3 a 10-8.

meepins

CSF wrote: »

In round 3, that flurry Nate went into was 10-8 material, in a vacuum. Conor looked shaken and was saved by the bell. But IMO the only way 3 judges are gonna call that fight 10-8 is if they all take the last maybe minute and a half of the round in a vacuum, and don't take into account that Conor was on top in the round upto that point. That costs Nate a 10-8 in my scoring of the fight at least.

Yeah, if there was a high damage strike that wobbled or knocked down Conor at the end there I think all of them would have given it a 10-8 to Nate.

darced

Diaz via Submission

This post has been deleted.

Myrddin

Some fight, true mentality by both fighters. I thought McGregor took 1, 2, & 4...with 3 being a 10-9 for Nate...so pretty straight forward decision imo. Delighted for McGregor, some balls to roll straight back in to fight Nate...and I think this fight will stand greatly to him for his future fights. Nate is a pure machine, as tough as they come...but Conors boxing was light years ahead.

Have to laugh at Aldo...Conor is off fighting at 170, while still the champion at 145...growing, challenging himself, and pushing his limits all the time. Aldo was happy enough to sit at 145 for years and never once stepped outside his comfort zone. The sorest loser I've seen in the UFC. I don't think Conor is ducking him at all, I just get the feeling Conor feels it's a waste of time at this stage.

JustTheOne

Myrddin wrote: »

Some fight, true mentality by both fighters. I thought McGregor took 1, 2, & 4...with 3 being a 10-9 for Nate...so pretty straight forward decision imo. Delighted for McGregor, some balls to roll straight back in to fight Nate...and I think this fight will stand greatly to him for his future fights. Nate is a pure machine, as tough as they come...but Conors boxing was light years ahead.

Have to laugh at Aldo...Conor is off fighting at 170, while still the champion at 145...growing, challenging himself, and pushing his limits all the time. Aldo was happy enough to sit at 145 for years and never once stepped outside his comfort zone. The sorest loser I've seen in the UFC. I don't think Conor is ducking him at all, I just get the feeling Conor feels it's a waste of time at this stage.

Great second paragraph.

meepins

darced wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Nate got dropped twice in quick succession in round 2. He missed a bit and had his strikes blocked up against the fence in the last minute and it was more back and forth than anything.

CSF

darced wrote: »

I agree with nearly all that but round 1 is never a 10-8, Diaz landed way too much and really didn't look like being finished. Compared that to round 3 where big John followed Conor back to his corner at the end of the round to make sure he could continue and asked him if he could go on start of the 4th. I still scored that a 10-9 Nate but it was much closer to a 10-8 than round 1.

I actually see the case that Nate won round 2 going by how strong finishes to rounds tend to be scored.

The more I watch round 3 I actually become less convinced that there's a case for a 10:8. For 4:10 of that round Diaz lands almost literally nothing. Conor lands some clean shots, and in between its just Diaz making takedown attempts but they're ultimately unsuccessful. He then takes control for 50 seconds but that's not enough for a 10:8 unless you're judging rounds incorrectly by placing too much emphasis on what you've seen most recently (ie the end of the round). These things can happen but with 3 judges it shouldn't happen with them all and thankfully it didn't.

So much of the panic that sets in is down to Joe Rogan's commentary. He had a narrative that he was working with and he wasn't much fond of shifting from it even when the fight didn't pan out that way. He ended up looking a bit silly when Conor came out so strong in the fourth.

Conor won that fight on the basis of his takedown defence. Nate lands a takedown in the 3rd and even if he doesn't finish him off there and then (which to be honest I might have fancied given Conor was slowing down) it's a 10:8 round.

In the final round, Diaz knows he's behind (regardless of what he will tell you in a post fight interview), tries his absolute best to get that final round takedown to land some serious offence to either finish the fight or turn the round into a 10:8.

Both times Conor wasn't for beating and dug deep when he needed to, limiting Diaz's significant offence to a 50 second spell in the fight, whereas for Conor you've got 3 clean knockdowns, a mangled up leg and a busted up face, both of which limited Diaz's ability to press on in the later stages of the fight.

One takedown probably would have made the difference for Nate but Conor wasn't having it.

darced

Diaz via Submission

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cletus

Myrddin wrote: »

Have to laugh at Aldo...Conor is off fighting at 170, while still the champion at 145...growing, challenging himself, and pushing his limits all the time. Aldo was happy enough to sit at 145 for years and never once stepped outside his comfort zone. The sorest loser I've seen in the UFC. I don't think Conor is ducking him at all, I just get the feeling Conor feels it's a waste of time at this stage.

If I remember correctly, Aldo looked to challenge at 155 on at least one occasion, but was shot down by Dana

CSF

cletus wrote: »

If I remember correctly, Aldo looked to challenge at 155 on at least one occasion, but was shot down by Dana

Yeah he did.

darced

Diaz via Submission

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