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

Frank Bullitt

Watched this in a bar on one of the Gulf Islands here in Vancouver with a bunch of Canadians.

**** me man, never been like that for a fight before, edge of the seat stuff.

For the 145lbs division, be afraid...very afraid.

wonderfullife

McGregor via Submission

Some people are so entrenched in their views, that persuading them otherwise is impossible.

Perfectly illustrated by the Twitter exchange today between Big John McCarthy and random fans. Worth noting that John not only reffed the fight but was a huge part of creating the unified rules, scoring criteria and training of judges.

He was asked how he scored the fight. He said 1, 2 and 4 Conor. 3 and 5 for Nate. No 10-8 rounds in either.

He was asked the rules about "running away" and said it's perfectly within the rules to circle out to catch breath and reset but that it's not allowed in perpetuity.

A Diaz fan then decided to say "what fight did you watch? Conor went running!".

He was also asked was he close to stopping the fight at any point. He said "no". To which he was then challenged on that!!

Riiiiiight. So the guy in the actual Octagon, who is the foremost expert referee and Judge, scores the fight for Conor, says he was not close to stopping the contest and and people tell him he hasn't a clue what he's on about?!?!

SMH.

You just have to give up on the debate at that stage. Conor won. Judges gave it to him.

wonderfullife

McGregor via Submission

Mellor wrote: »

Diaz is pissed as fook with Danis. Massive lol at the irony there.

Dillon is on the MMA Hour tomorrow alongside John Kavanagh and Peter Carroll (from the irish end of it). I'm sure Ariel will ask him for a response to Nate saying he's on his hit list. The best he can do is say anytime he wants a straight BJJ match, EBI rules, let's go. Pointless acting hard and saying he'll fight him. But BJJ would be a winnable match.

CurryFlavoured

Great improvements from Conor but still some obvious flaws. Nice to see him pace himself and avoided the ground exchanges at all costs, also great to see him implement leg kicks, no more silly 1/100000 spinning head kicks that just waste energy. He knows he's not invincible/superior in every aspect so he's altered his game a bit and brought a clear game plan, good to see. Also showed great heart, when I saw him looking tired after R2 I wasn't too hopeful about his chances going forward.

Big issue is still cardio, he paced himself (compared to his normal pace) in R1-2 but he still looked half cooked by the end of R2. Caught a second wind to win R4 which won him the fight, but still an issue seeing he'll be fighting 5R fights pretty much every fight. Clinch was another weakness but that was partially down to fatigue.

Also, Kavanagh: "You're winning the clinch every time" :ermm::ermm::ermm: wtf

Outlaw Pete

McGregor via Submission

Still adamant he won anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8s2C_Ufy6g

tbayers

Doped of his head and arrogant as f**k towards the journalist. Shows no respect to anybody that wants to talk to him!

CurryFlavoured

I like Nate but him, and even more-so Nick, have excuses after every fight, even when they're clearly beaten (vs GSP, Silva). If it was anyone else they'd get **** for it, but with them it's just "LOL classic Diaz bros".

Mellor

McGregor via Submission

wonderfullife wrote: »

Dillon is on the MMA Hour tomorrow alongside John Kavanagh and Peter Carroll (from the irish end of it). I'm sure Ariel will ask him for a response to Nate saying he's on his hit list. The best he can do is say anytime he wants a straight BJJ match, EBI rules, let's go. Pointless acting hard and saying he'll fight him. But BJJ would be a winnable match.

Obviously he's not going to fight him in MMA, but a BJJ match is possible. It's more than "winnable" imo. I'd give Dillon the edge over Nate in a BJJ match.

EBI make it happen

CurryFlavoured wrote: »

I like Nate but him, and even more-so Nick, have excuses after every fight, even when they're clearly beaten (vs GSP, Silva). If it was anyone else they'd get **** for it, but with them it's just "LOL classic Diaz bros".

I like the Diaz brother, always have. But when they lose, they are hard to listen to. Everyone is on steroids, runs away, won't fight, yada yada yada.

J Mysterio

Nate saying he won the first round is just stupid. There's no way in hell anyone can make that argument.

Outlaw Pete

McGregor via Submission

In fairness I think he said in response to the question about which parts of the fight he felt it was that he dominated:

"After the first round, all the way through".

J Mysterio

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

In fairness I think he said in response to the question about which parts of the fight he felt it was that he dominated:

"After the first round, all the way through".

On second listen, you're right, my bad.

JustTheOne

Watched the fight few times.

1,2 and 4 for conor.

There might be an argument for a draw in the 2nd but I think he still edged it.

Den_M

Can someone do a side by side comparison of the last few secs of McGregor - Aldo and Johnson - Teixeira?

Both finished at 13 secs and felt very similar, I bet the significant strike and follow up strikes in both fights sync up very closely.

Dickerty

I see a lot of abs in that promo picture of Diaz, where were they come fight time? Looked like he put on about 15 pounds of belly fat to help absorb the shots...

Swashbuckler

Dickerty wrote:

I see a lot of abs in that promo picture of Diaz, where were they come fight time? Looked like he put on about 15 pounds of belly fat to help absorb the shots...

That's always the case with most fighters. The water weight put on after the cut will hide those abs. Plus for those promo shots they do a bunch of situps and pressups before the shoot.

Tazzimus

Swashbuckler wrote: »

That's always the case with most fighters. The water weight put on after the cut will hide those abs. Plus for those promo shots they do a bunch of situps and pressups before the shoot.

Pretty sure one of the embedded's showed Nate doing a few quick pushups right before the shoot to get a good pump on his muscles.

sonofenoch

McGregor via Submission

Anyone else think Diaz is straight out lying when he said he was injured pre fight

Duggie2012

sonofenoch wrote: »

Anyone else think Diaz is straight out lying when he said he was injured pre fight

i hope not, i actually like Nate Diaz. hes likeable IMO(ignoring all the trashy UFC talk everyone does). After the 1st fight he could have went to town on how he beat the mighty Conor McGregor but he never seemed to. He was just like so what i've been here for years type of thing. I'm sure others would have been gloating non stop. I think hes the type of guy who would have your back if you needed him.

Outlaw Pete

McGregor via Submission

sonofenoch wrote: »

Anyone else think Diaz is straight out lying when he said he was injured pre fight

Doubt it but I wouldn't say their team would be above exaggerating somewhat so they could have some basis for asking for the rematch straight after the fights. Would seem kinda flat to just as for the rematch for trilogy reasons and nothing else. An injury gives it a little bit of bite as people make show more interest in the next fight as a result. Just watched the following post fight interview though with Jake Shields and he seems to suggest there was indeed some injury issues with Nate. Didn't seem very convincing but then I don't like Shields and so that maybe why I doubt his sincerity more than anything else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jYWLVwC52w

Pighead

sonofenoch wrote: »

Anyone else think Diaz is straight out lying when he said he was injured pre fight

I'd say he's probably telling the truth. Maybe exaggerating it a bit but I'm guessing it's pretty near impossible to get through a full camp without picking up some sort of injury. Think I heard McGregor say in one of his interviews that he busted his ankle in training camp. Diaz claims that there he recorded a video a few days before the fight stating he was injured so I'm guessing it will probably surface in the next few days.

JoeyJJ

Diaz via Decision

He has it on tape lads Must be a cctv of him training

EoineyM

wonderfullife wrote: »

Some people are so entrenched in their views, that persuading them otherwise is impossible.

Perfectly illustrated by the Twitter exchange today between Big John McCarthy and random fans. Worth noting that John not only reffed the fight but was a huge part of creating the unified rules, scoring criteria and training of judges.

He was asked how he scored the fight. He said 1, 2 and 4 Conor. 3 and 5 for Nate. No 10-8 rounds in either.

He was asked the rules about "running away" and said it's perfectly within the rules to circle out to catch breath and reset but that it's not allowed in perpetuity.

A Diaz fan then decided to say "what fight did you watch? Conor went running!".

He was also asked was he close to stopping the fight at any point. He said "no". To which he was then challenged on that!!

Riiiiiight. So the guy in the actual Octagon, who is the foremost expert referee and Judge, scores the fight for Conor, says he was not close to stopping the contest and and people tell him he hasn't a clue what he's on about?!?!

SMH.

You just have to give up on the debate at that stage. Conor won. Judges gave it to him.

Yeah, coz McGregor fans never talk sh*te!

When watching it live I have to say, I thought Diaz could have shaded it and got the decision. I think I was swayed by him coming closest to a finish (end of 3rd) and coming forward more. Looking back at it though they got it right, just as well I'm not a judge! Unbelievable performance by McGregor. His striking was amazing and showed real heart. Still don't think he is getting the credit for not only testing himself up 2 weight categories, but doing it against one of the toughest in the sport.

Always liked Diaz but like him even more now. I think all the Diaz hate going on is ridiculous. He is a legend of the sport. It seems now that every person McGregor fights becomes a hate figure for some "fans" and every little comment they or their team makes is jumped on as a reason to dislike them. People getting offended coz he dared to say "Irish motherf$*kers" at bottlegate. When you see some of stuff McGregor has come out with!

sonofenoch

McGregor via Submission

Duggie2012 wrote: »

i hope not, i actually like Nate Diaz. hes likeable IMO(ignoring all the trashy UFC talk everyone does). After the 1st fight he could have went to town on how he beat the mighty Conor McGregor but he never seemed to. He was just like so what i've been here for years type of thing. I'm sure others would have been gloating non stop. I think hes the type of guy who would have your back if you needed him.

I quite do too, I don't like all the gansta stuff but I don't think that's really him...don't much care for his pre/post fight talk he tends to sound a bit dumb but when he's in more relaxed company he doesn't come across as being dumb and is quite humble about it all

Kev_2012

Watched it yet again last night.
Great tactics from Conor. I'm glad he has added leg kicks to his arsenal finally!
I don't think he was ever super fit. Relying on his power all the time.

This is probably the best thing that ever happened to him, a 5 round war with a headbanger. Now he know what kind of fitness he needs to be totally dominant in the sport and I expect him to actually be ready for 5 rounds regardless of the fight from now on.

Savage heart from both fighters and Conor showed that he is one tough ba$tard with immense heart to come back and win the 4th. Hopefully the shin is ok. Can't wait for his next fight! :D:D

Swashbuckler

Kev_2012 wrote:

This is probably the best thing that ever happened to him, a 5 round war with a headbanger. Now he know what kind of fitness he needs to be totally dominant in the sport and I expect him to actually be ready for 5 rounds regardless of the fight from now on.

He needs more than fitness to be totally dominant. Diaz exposed some holes in his game. If someone can execute a clinch game plan over multiple rounds he's in trouble. Someone like Khabib would eat him alive.

Kev_2012

Swashbuckler wrote: »

He needs more than fitness to be totally dominant. Diaz exposed some holes in his game. If someone can execute a clinch game plan over multiple rounds he's in trouble. Someone like Khabib would eat him alive.

Yeah Khabib would rag doll him right now. Although Conor would kill him if he could stay on the outside.

Grappling is f*cking tiring, probably even moreso than ground work. Working in and out of the clinch takes it out of you and he seriously needs to have that strength to beat the best in other weight classes.

Christ I'd love to see him beat Khabib, he is an awful fighter to watch

Swashbuckler

To be honest I like Khabib. One thing I will say about Conor is he held his own in the clinch against a guy who was near 23lbs heavier than him in the cage which is fairly impressive.

yeah I dont get all this talk from diaz, aww he should have finished me!! WTF!!

you beat him last time on 2 weeks notice, now you've a full camp and the mental edge of a victory, it's yours to lose mate, all eyes were on mcgregor who had to adjust his game, get fitter and punch up to a hugely tough and heavier man for 5 sapping rounds!! I thought diaz won rounds 3 and 5 looking back at it again this morning, the the decision was correct.

Also I dont think anyone has mentioned the mental toughness it took for mcgregor to get through that flurry at the exact same point as last time, that was some doin!! psychologically his mind would have been programmed to be wary of that point, once the pressure came it was crumble or adapt and roll.

C'mon lads, irish or not, we need to recognize the bawwls it took just to go back in, then the skill required to get through it. I like mcgregor but he's gone through the roof in my estimation as a fighter, what a feckin chin on him too!! that last minute of round 3 was amazing, remember, all from a heavier man!!

with his new more humble and respectful approach (hope it lasts now), coupled with a five round war under his belt?? If i wear aldo, id have a longggggg think about my ability to knock him out!! 5 rounds with that power running round after you??? I smell a last minute pull out there!

Swashbuckler

People reading too much into what Diaz is saying. He got paid 2 million flat pay for that fight. That dude would be stupid not to talk as much **** as possible to get a trilogy.

Call Me Jimmy

Yea I don't take anything that these guys say too seriously. What I know for certain is that they are exceptionally proud martial artists that genuinely believe they are the best. They also have total respect for each other behind the scenes because they both know what it means to be a fighter. They also make great money for each other and are aware that that comes from there being 'bad blood'. I couldnt take even the bottle throwing too seriously when I knew after the last fight it was nothing but respect, and that after this one it would be the same. And they could probably swing at each other at the weigh in for the third but I'll know that they'll shake hands and say fair play.