The main event of UFC 202 could only described one way – a ‘dog fight’. The most anticipated fight in UFC history lived up to the hype, but it was Conor McGregor who got the nod after five gruelling rounds.
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McGregor entered the octagon with his entire reputation on the line. After being criticised for his lack of heart and less-developed ground game, another loss for the featherweight champion would have seen his hype-train well and truly derailed.
Moreover, the pre-fight antics, which saw McGregor nearly come to blows with Diaz and his whole team, upped the ante that much more.
McGregor entered the octagon looking much more stiff than normal, as the gravity of the situation started to hit him for the first time in his UFC career.
Diaz walked into the cage looking as he always did. Mean, confident and ready to fight.
McGregor looked like a completely different in the first round, as his approach to Diaz seemed to have changed his style significantly. It worked to his advantage.
McGregor put on a show in the first round, busting Diaz’s lead leg with vicious leg kicks, before dropping him with a hard left hand. McGregor finished the round strong, and it looked like that was the direction the fight was going to go.
However, Diaz had other plans. McGregor started off the second round in similar fashion, dropping Diaz, but the Stockton native managed to weather the storm and pour it on McGregor near the end of the second round. It was the bell that saved Conor McGregor in the end.
McGregor came out of the gates in the third round looking very tired, but despite Diaz’s persistence, still managed to stuff the takedown attempts. McGregor was forced to circle away from Diaz who has stalking him and taunting him the whole way, before pouring it on him late once again until the buzzer.
Rounds four and five saw McGregor find his second wind, but Diaz was clearly the fresher fighter still. McGregor managed to land some hard shots that saw Diaz start bleeding quite profusely from the eye, but both men would land good shots on the exchange, and neither would back down.
McGregor was doing well to land and then circle away, as stamina came into play once again. Diaz managed to get a hold of McGregor who was avoiding the takedown and watching the clock. Diaz finally got McGregor down to end a wild and exciting fight.
The crowd erupted for both men as the judges rendered their decision. Two of the judges scored the contest 48-47 in the favour of Conor McGregor, with the third scoring it 47-47 for a draw, much to the dismay of Nate Diaz.
McGregor took to the mic to claim that “the king is back,” and offered Nate Diaz a third fight at lightweight.
Diaz claimed he thought that he won the fight, but the UFC can’t have him winning because he is “too real.” Diaz will be happy with his fight purse however, pocketing a cool US$2 million show money. McGregor earned a recording setting US$3 million.
Diaz also expressed his interest in a third fight with McGregor, and at this stage it seems that rubber match will take place at 155 pounds.
With that being said, UFC president Dana White has stated that “win, lose or draw,” McGregor either has to go back down to featherweight and defend his belt, or let it go.
Main Card
Welterweight: Conor McGregor def. Nate Diaz via majority decision (48-47, 47-47, 48-47)
Light Heavyweight: Anthony Johnson def. Glover Teixeira via knockout (punch) 0:13, R1
Welterweight: Donald Cerrone def. Rick Story via TKO (head kick & punches) 2:02, R2
Welterweight: Mike Perry def. Hyun Gyu Lim via TKO (punches) 3:38, R1
Welterweight: Tim Means def. Sabah Homasi via TKO (punches) 2:56, R2
Prelims
Bantamweight: Cody Garbrandt def. Takeya Mizugaki via TKO (punches) 0:48, R1
Women’s Bantamweight: Raquel Pennington def. Elizabeth Phillips via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Featherweight: Artem Lobov def. Chris Avila via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Women’s Strawweight: Cortney Casey def. Randa Markos via verbal submission (arm-bar) 4:34, R1
Early Prelims
Welterweight: Lorenz Larkin def. Neil Magny via TKO (elbows) 4:08, R1
Welterweight: Colby Covington def. Max Griffin via TKO (punches) 2:18, R3
Middleweight: Marvin Vettori def. Alberto Uda via submission (guillotine choke) 4:30, R1
Kavvy
Guest
Agreed round 1 McGregor was as dominant as Diaz was dominant in round 3. Roud four edged it for McGregor, no doubt about it (I, like most, thought he was cooked at the end of rd 3 but he found just enough in the tank, much respect).
jimmy
Guest
Yep...You score round 3 10-8 to Diaz, you have to score round 1 10-8 to McGregor.
jimmy
Guest
Rubbish...was a close fight, but the decision for Conor was the right one.
Stumpy
Roar Rookie
It was a 48-47 fight to Mcgregor all day. But somehow Judge Glen Trowbridge scored the 3rd round as a 10-8 to Diaz, if there was a 10-8 round in this fight it would have been the first round Mcgregor dropped Diaz twice and rocked him a number of time and Diaz barely laid a glove in return.
Steele
Guest
Correct decision. McGregor rounds 1-2-4. Round two only marginally. Similarities to the first fight but McGregor got wise this time. Felt the bell saved him a couple times. If it was a street fight, Diaz all day long. He has a big heart/stamina, once again took some big shots but finished stronger.
Kavvy
Guest
They should definitely have a third fight at 155 but I reckon both should fight someone else first.
Kavvy
Guest
Ronan you'rr mixing up the 3rd and 4th but otherwise correct. Diaz dominated the third but Conor found something for the fourth, which won him the fight. Diaz finished stronger in the fifth though.
Bill Larkin
Guest
Absolutely agreed. A very fair decision.
SM
Guest
Thought Diaz won the second, but on reflection probably could have gone either way.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Yep McGregor dominated the first 3 rounds but then Diaz's size and experience at this higher weight division helped him wear down Conor in the final 2 rounds. Hell of a fight. Absolute cracker.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Absolutely brilliant event. One of the best in recent memory. Arguably best since the McGregor v Mendes. 194? No doubt in my mind that McGregor won that clearly. Rumble must be given a title shot asap. Don't think they'll have it for 205 maybe 207. McGregor can have one last fight v Diaz and then he needs to start proving himself at lightweight. There are a string of guys who will certainly give him a good fight including Khabib, Alvarez and dos Anjos. Heck lets see him take on Ferguson. Don't see a rematch before 210 either.
Kavvy
Guest
Did you watch the fight though? How anyone could score it anything other than 3-2 McGregor is beyond me. CMc Rounds 1,2 and 4. ND rounds 3 and 5. Clear as day. Judges got it spot on.
SM
Guest
Something stinks about this decision. The UFC would be well aware of how well a trilogy would be promoted and sold. There would be less interest had McGregor not got up here.