According to MMA Fighting, UFC decision makers are set to pull the trigger on an automatic rematch between featherweight kingpin Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz at UFC 200 in July.
In the absence of pay-per-view queen Ronda Rousey, McGregor has more than filled her shoes as the promotion’s cash cow, selling over one million units in his past two bouts.
His most recent trip to the box office yielded a staggering 1.5 million buys, making it the second most purchased MMA event in history behind UFC 100, which featured both Brock Lesnar and Georges St-Pierre in championship bouts.
There’s no denying that UFC 196 was a financial success for McGregor, but the same cannot be said for his effort in the Octagon, as the Straight Blast Gym Ireland fighter suffered his first UFC defeat, tapping out to a rear-naked-choke from Diaz in the second round.
Following the setback, McGregor discussed shedding the kilos to return to his former weight class – 25 pounds lighter – to defend the featherweight title he captured last December.
Former champions Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo were both lobbying for a title shot, but now it seems that neither will get a crack at the UFC’s most wanted man – at least, not right away.
According to multiple outlets, the Diaz versus McGregor rematch is the fight UFC have chosen to christen the new multipurpose arena in Las Vegas at UFC 200 – a landmark pay-per-view event over 22 years in the making.
It was a no-brainer that the UFC would someday book Diaz-McGregor II, but why does it have to be on the immediate agenda?
McGregor still holds a championship belt, and taking another fight outside of the featherweight class just handcuffs that division further. Moreover, what are the chances that the outcome would be drastically different with a few extra months of preparation?
Sure, McGregor won the first round, rattling the Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu student with ridiculous power shots, but after Diaz walked through his knockout blows, the Irish homerun hitter had no answers.
The matchmaking decision is almost identical to the baffling move the company recently made to book UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold in an immediate rematch against Chris Weidman.
Rockhold bloodied the ‘All-American’ Weidman in their first fight last December, breaking him down with a savage barrage of punches and elbows to take the 185-pound title.
Just like McGregor, Weidman had his moments in the beginning but faded down the stretch to decisively lose the fight.
In the first quarter of 2016, it seems the UFC are a little trigger happy with the automatic rematch gun – a move that could drastically hurt the reputation of two cream-of-the-crop fighters.
Weidman, one of the best middleweights in company history, could realistically be damaged goods with an 0-2 record against the champion by June.
Similarly, McGregor could become the first fighter to ever suffer back-to-back defeats in the Octagon and still hold a championship belt by July.
The UFC constantly makes their champions and elite fighters vulnerable. Almost every week, the company sells the promise of unpredictability. The idea that anything can happen, anyone can lose, and anything is possible.
Unlike the boxing model, fighters aren’t protected and records aren’t padded. The UFC houses the lion’s share of elite fighters and matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby consistently do their part to separate the wheat from the chaff.
To some extent, every time the UFC books a fight, whether it’s in sunny Brisbane or under the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip, they’re playing with fire.
It’s a risky business and the promotion should be commended for their willingness to continually roll the dice, but not every gamble is a necessary one.
Davico55
Guest
The thing is though 2 of the guys you mentioned (Dos Anjos and Cowboy) fight in the same division as Diaz so are you saying Diaz should move back up to WW?
Squidward
Roar Rookie
I think he could've scrambled more to get out. But once it was locked in, which Nate manage to do quick there's no point in going unconcious when you don't need to. Tap away.
Stumpy
Roar Rookie
Alex you've pretty much nailed it, I see no point in a Diaz rematch. McGregor's pride may have taken a hit but I don't think it robs anything from him, a loss in a rematch would though. As it stands on no notice he was prepared to fight way outside of his weight to save a card and he lost big deal. I'm sure Dana and the UFC couldn't be happier, a fighter who was on the verge of being irrelevant is now a star again and they'll all make money out of it.
Alex Wood
Roar Guru
Personally I have no interest in the Diaz rematch, it was a bigger grappler against a smaller striker which is always a recipe for what happened to happen. Put McGregor back in his own weight-class or thereabouts (Dos Anjos, Edgar, Cowboy, Aldo) and give him any of the contenders and it's a fight I would rather watch than McGregor v Diaz II.
anon
Guest
"I have to disagree with you on that one. If you look at the history of prize fighting, star power never evaporates after one loss." If he loses he'll have two losses in a row to basically a journeyman fighter. In addition, McGregor built his "star power" on being boastful, goading opponents, abusing, mocking, humiliating them pre fight with trash talk. All that aura (IMO he's already lost it by losing to a journeyman who had no training camp and was fat) evaporates with another loss to Diaz. He loses his strut. He simply becomes an insufferable braggart full of excuses when he loses.
Max Willis
Roar Pro
Agree with most of the stuff you said, but totally disagree with your 'Quick Tap' taunt. McGregor was done, so it was smart of him to tap instead of risking his health. Diaz said it himself.
chris
Guest
This is the most idiotic move ever , nobody cares about this fight now i mean c, mon. Everybody on the planet has said Edgar/McGregor , anything other than that is a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. Edgar/McGregor would triple the dollars of a pathetic rematch would generate , every poll clearly shows Edgar is the overwhelming choice of the fans , Nate isn't even mentioned , that would be a miserable card. Conor said he will fight who the fans want him to fight most , well he lied , as long as it's not Edgar he should of said . Nate should make Conor defend his belt , no champion ( and i use that term jokingly) should be able to refuse to fight the top challenger because he's too afraid to defend his belt . CONOR "QUICK TAP" MCGREGOR IS A COWARD AND A FRAUD .
Max Willis
Roar Pro
You make a good point with Kimbo, that guy sucks, and he has incredible numbers. I agree that McGregor will probably still have the star power his entire career, as he could always threaten to move back down to 145 and everyone knows what he has done there.
Max Willis
Roar Pro
I really hope the UFC doesn't go down this path with a rematch at UFC 200. I think putting Diaz and McGregor on 200, which virtually almost sells itself, puts to waste another opportunity down the line to have them on another card so their are 2 big pay-per-views instead of the 1. I think Conor should fight Frankie, and then have Lawler V Woodleyor Dos Anjos V Alvarez as the co-main. From their you could have the reported Velasquez v Browne bout and the Gegard Mousasi vs Derek Brunson bout. Imagine Dos Anjos and McGregor going at it at the press conference even though they aren't fighting one and other!
Justin Faux
Expert
"This fight is all or nothing for McGregor. If he loses this, his future will be main eventing UFC Fight Nights in Ireland and England." I have to disagree with you on that one. If you look at the history of prize fighting, star power never evaporates after one loss. Take Kimbo Slice for instance - he's a terrible fighter even by heavyweight MMA standards, and suffered some pretty embarrassing losses over his career, but is still a bigger star that 99 percent of the UFC roster.
Justin Faux
Expert
The problem is Chris, that there is no written rule stating that if a champion does not defend their title within a certain time frame they will be stripped of the championship. It makes perfect sense to vacate the 145-pound title, but it's pretty clear that Conor McGregor plays by a different set of rules than everyone else on the roster so there's no guarantee that it will happen.
anon
Guest
I think in terms of drawing attention this is a great main event. Nate Diaz is completely unfazed by McGregor's trash talk, and it was Diaz who intimidated McGregor with his trash talk and attitude. McGregor's rehearsed lines didn't work on Diaz. Diaz's first language is English, therefore McGregor was forced to engage with Diaz. This resulted in McGregor stammering and stuttering trying to respond to Diaz's comebacks. This fight is all or nothing for McGregor. If he loses this, his future will be main eventing UFC Fight Nights in Ireland and England. The trash talk, any aura he has left will be gone (IMO it's already gone he's a gobby one trick pony with no ground game and can't take a punch). Basically Bisping but unlikeable (unless you're Irish). These guys are going to go at it for the next four months, saying the most outrageous things, McGregor will be hitching his whole reputation on beating Nate Diaz with no excuses at UFC 200.
Chris
Guest
Franky Edgar must be livid. Won't Mcgregor have to vacate the featherweight belt if he doesnt defend it soon? He cant just keep fighting at other weights and remain the champion surely...