Conor McGregor is back on top of the sport after defeating Nate Diaz by majority decision tonight in an incredible battle at UFC 202 in Las Vegas.
Round One:
The main event rematch everyone’s been waiting for is underway!
McGregor with an early leg kick as he takes the center of the Octagon. Another kick. McGregor continues to target the lead leg of Diaz.
Harder kick to the thigh from the Irishman. And again. Diaz checks a kick now. He throws out a couple of feeling leg kicks of his own and then lands a punch to the body.
Excellent body punch and one upstairs from McGregor. Diaz looks to return fire, but McGregor drops him with a left hand!
Diaz back up though, showing that famously strong chin. Another hard body shot from McGregor. Diaz returns fire.
Leg kick for Diaz. Leg kick for McGregor and Diaz’s leg is already red. Hard shots from both men now and there’s a bit of gamesmanship from Diaz as he steps away and then comes back with two punches.
Hard leg kick again from McGregor and then a straight punch down the pipe. Diaz already has a lttlie blood to his right eye. It’s the leg kicks that are really chopping him down though and that’ll be a real problem if this fight goes into the later rounds.
Diaz with an innefectual spinning kick. Excellent punches from McGregor again, and he’s started this fight very strongly with a smart gameplan. Can he keep it going though, or will Diaz come on strong in the second round as he did last time out.
Round Two:
Leg kick from McGregor is checked. Second one lands though. Another big left hand for McGregor drops Diaz as it did in the first round, and again Diaz gets up again.
Diaz eats another left hand. McGregor drills him again and Diaz drops. Again Diaz stands, but this is all going horribly wrong for him so far.
Jab for McGregor. And again. Then the leg kick. Diaz with a body kick without much power behind it. Left hook for McGregor. Then the leg kick again.
Jab lands for Diaz. Then a few swings and misses from him. Ripping body shot for McGregor. Hard left. The Irishman is picking him apart.
McGregor catches Diaz with a slick left hook counter. Diaz hasn’t found a way into the fight so far. Body punch for Diaz and MCGregor counters.
Jab for ‘The Notorious’. Then to the leg kick. And again, harder this time. Diaz marches forward, but gets clocked with a left hook.
Diaz connects nicely. He moves forward with purpose and tags him a few more times. That’s what Diaz needed and he looks more confident now.
Diaz backs McGregor up against the cage and blasts him with shots and now it’s McGregor’s turn to stumble to the mat and get back up.
Diaz continues to tee off and McGregor’s now the one just trying to survive. It’s almost like the first fight as the momentum suddenly swings in Diaz’s favor, but we are going to a third round.
Round Three:
LEft hand for McGregor as Diaz covers up. Leg kick checked by Diaz. Right hand for McGregor. Diaz with punches. Diaz the one pressing forward and McGregor is backing up looking a bit tired.
Diaz lands a good punch. They head into the clinch and they jockey for position against the cage. McGregor moves away landing with a hook and Diaz connects too.
McGregor lands with a punch and then a leg kick. Body punch for McGregor. Punch for Diaz and a counter by McGregor. Diaz starting to talk trash in there and looks confident.
Diaz presses McGregor to the cage again. He tries for the takedown, but McGregor defends and now it’s his turn to push Diaz into the cage.
Two minutes of the round to go and they separate after a Diaz combo. McGregor backing up and is definitely tired. Diaz senses it and points at him.
McGregor lands a punch. Sluggish output from him now though. Didaz surprises him with a head kick that partially connects.
Diaz with a one-two and then up against the cage. Diaz teeing off with punches and McGregor’s not doing a good job of defending. He’s eating a lot of shots. Diaz thinks about a takedown, but doesn’t get it.
Diaz goes back to tagging McGregor, chipping away at him and he’s lucky that the round comes to a close. There’s no doubt he’s faded badly and Diaz is pouring on the pressure as we head to the championship rounds.
Round Four:
McGregor with a one-two. Now a jab. Diaz with a right hand. Leg kick for McGregor. He’d do well to land more of them as he’s gotten away from that early strategy somewhat.
Jab for Diaz, and again. Diaz with a short flurry. Solid jab from McGregor. Front kick now. Those jabs have left Diaz bloodied up around his right eye.
Nice leg kick for McGregor. Front kick from Diaz. Left hands from McGregor. McGregor with a combo. Diaz clinches up and pushes McGregor to the cage and works for a takedown. For a second it looks like he might gets it, but McGregor defends. He doesn’t want to go to the mat and risk being submitted.
Diaz lands a few body punches as he continues to work in the clinch. McGregor finds a little space and lands a nice strike. Diaz with a knee to the body.
McGregor spins Diaz around and presses him to the cage. They break part and McGregor tags his rival with punches.
Left hand from Diaz staggers McGregor. McGregor with a counter as Diaz lands again. Now a leg kick from McGregor. Diaz with a jab.
Three body shots in a row from McGregor. And another. He continues to work the body. Nice left and a right. Big left now.
McGregor has done well to overcome the tiredness as best he can, though he fails to defend as a couple of punches land from Diaz. Then Diaz slips on a kick just as the round comes to a close. We’re headed to the final round with all to fight for.
Round Five:
Leg kick for McGregor as Diaz tries to land punches. Right hook for McGregor. Right hand gets through for Diaz. Now a body punch for him.
McGregor with a jumping knee to the body. Diaz presses him up against the cage. McGregor reverses the clinchand gets Diaz back for a moment, then backs away.
McGregor with punches as he steps back. Right hand for McGregor. Working the jab, then looks for the left hook. Leg kick for McGregor too.
Diaz marches him over to the clinch again. He goes for the double leg and is so close to getting it, but McGregor shows excellent balance to stay upright.
Diaz rips to the body. McGregor gets away and moves to the center of the Octagon with his hands on his hips looking tired.
MCGregor puts together a combination though, and then another. Diaz back to the clinch and lands punches. Short range strikes here, then a huge elbow from Diaz.
Two minutes to go as Diaz works McGregor at the cage. He lands a knee then tries for the double-leg, which is stuffed again.
McGregor needs to get off the cage, but Diaz is fighting smartly, trying to win the round any way he can. Diaz misses with a big elbow and then McGregor reverses the position. He trips Diaz, but he gets back up immediately and then pushes McGregor to the cage again.
10 seconds to go and Diaz executes an excellent leg sweep to get McGregor to the mat and lands some ground and pound to finish strongly. That’s a big moment for him in such a close fight.
Decision:
What a great fight, living up to everybody’s expectations, but there can only be one winner and it’s going to be a close one.
The judges have rendered their decision and it’s McGregor who’s got it! He wins by majority decision (48-47 x2, 47-47).
“Surprise, surprise motherf*cker! The King is back!” McGregor yells into the mic.
He then says he wants the trilogy fight with Diaz, but this time at 155lbs! Diaz then gets on the mic and makes it clear that he’s up for that challenge.
