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Time will tell how significant Nate Diaz’s upset win over Conor McGregor will rank among all-time greats, but it should be of little surprise.
Diaz had finished ten previous UFC opponents coming into the bout. We take a look back on Nate Diaz’s three best finishes prior to McGregor.
#3 Kurt Pellegrino, UFN 13 4/2/08
Pellegrino was 17-3 at the time and a big step up in competition for Diaz, who had buzzed through his first three UFC opponents.
Following a defeat of Manny Gamburyan, to win Season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter, by second-round submission in promotional debut at TUF 5 Finale (6/23/07), Diaz finished his next two opponents by first-round subs. In September of 07 he cinched Junior Assuncao’s neck in a Guillotine choke at 4:10 and four months later (1/23/08) forced Alvin Robinson to tap to his Triangle at 3:39.
Diaz had recently received his brown belt (Nate has now been a black belt for years) from Cesar Gracie. Kurt Pellegrino, an accomplished grappler himself, controlled the early action of the fight, which was fought at elevation in Bloomfield, Co.
Pellegrino controlled position and landed punches to a grounded Diaz, causing a cut to the brow in Round 1. The second round went much the same with Diaz avoiding damage, but KP was pushing the action.
At near the two minute mark of Round 2, Pellegrino attempted to pass guard and Diaz locked his legs into that triangle position. Nate knew he had the fight won, offering first a double tallboy to the camera then bicep pose.
He never pulled the neck with his arms, instead the six foot tall lightweight constricted Pellegrino’s Carotid Artery using just his long legs.
#2 Jim Miller, UFC on Fox3 5/5/12
Miller, also a younger brother to a UFC fighter, 14-8 Dan Miller, had twelve submissions of his own going into the fight.
Diaz caught Miller’s chin in the final minute of the first round and turned up the heat late in the second with strikes again.
Miller shot a desperate take down and Diaz snaked his arm through for a power Guillotine. The always game Miller attempted escape, the two rolled and Diaz was able to connect his hands and really apply pressure to the neck, forcing Miller to tap at 4:09.
The pair headlined the card that was fought in Miller’s home state of New Jersey. It was thought the grappling would nullify each other and many figured Miller’s pace and pressure would be too much for Diaz, prior to bout.
Nate with an outstanding victory.
#1 Gray Maynard, TUF 18 Finale 11/30/13
Maynard was the #5 Lightweight and Nate the #8. The pair were the main event in this, their third match up.
A split decision loss for Diaz 1/11/10 in their last, and a semifinal fight on The Ultimate Fighter 5 that resulted in a second round submission for Diaz by Guillotine, preceded.
Diaz put a left on Maynard’s chin just as Gray was changing levels that stunned the former Michigan State wrestler.
Diaz closed distance and hit Maynard with over thirty consecutive, unanswered strikes, before referee, Yves Lavigne finally rescued a Brain-weary Maynard just as he collapsed to the ground, calling the TKO at 2:38 of the first round.
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