The main event bout between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz at UFC 202 lived up to the hype and then some. In a back and forth, five round all-time classic, McGregor took the majority decision win and avenged his previous loss to Diaz. To get the victory, McGregor made key adjustments, found a second gear many didn’t know whether he had in him and proved his doubters wrong.
Conor McGregor Made Key Adjustments in Win Over Nate Diaz
By The Slimmest of Margins
So just how close was this fight? Let’s count the ways. After five rounds and going to decision, the three judge’s official scorecards had this fight scored at 48-47, 47-47 and 48-47. Diaz won the battle of time in control with 6:19 to 1:26. McGregor won on scored knockdowns with three to zero. Diaz landed more total strikes at 271 to 190. McGregor was more accurate with his strikes at 58% to 51%. And Diaz scored the only takedown just seconds before the fight ended.
Moving beyond the stats, the action favored both fighters at times as well. Diaz was in trouble early, taking a lot of punishment to his front leg and was knocked down multiple times in the first two rounds. Just as it appeared McGregor was going to dominate this fight, Diaz rallied in the third round and poured it on. McGregor was running out of gas and was in serious trouble heading into the fourth. Then McGregor found a second gear and rallied to take the round. In the fifth and final round, the tide changed once again and Diaz took the round on all three judges’ cards. When you stand back and take it all in, the winner of this fight is clear, right?
What Was The Difference?
Beyond the majority decision, something extremely significant happened in the third and fourth rounds that will likely have far reaching implications beyond this fight. McGregor hit the same wall of exhaustion he did before in his previous fight with Diaz. However, this time, he overcame the adversity. McGregor won this fight very likely the only way he possibly could, by getting a decision win. He has built his brand and reputation on being a knock out artist. 17 of 19 professional fights had resulted in early KO’s. But you just don’t knock out Diaz. In 31 career fights, he’s been knocked out once. The reason the result was different, is McGregor made two key adjustments to get the victory: he swallowed his pride and reinvented himself.
- Swallowing Pride: This portion of the equation required disciplined patience. McGregor needed to focus more on attrition and less on throwing the knockout punch. He did so in large quantities, focusing much more on Diaz’s front leg. By the end of the fight, the leg was a battered and bruised mess. It may have played a part in Diaz’s lack of stability, leading to the knock downs that were crucial in the judging decision. McGregor also needed to swallow his pride by sticking to the game plan even as Diaz taunted him. In the later rounds, Diaz brought a flurry of landed strikes and plenty trash talk to go with it. McGregor was able to stay patient and keep focused on five full rounds. Doing so allowed him to conserve enough energy to get to the finish line.
- Re-Invention: To survive five with Diaz, he also had to put much more emphasis on his cardio. No one really knew if McGregor even had five rounds in him. UFC commentator Joe Rogan observed during the fight that “McGregor’s fighting style doesn’t lend itself to going five rounds”. However McGregor had extensively focused on his cardio in training for this fight heavily. He answered the bell, and a clearly winded, but not too winded McGregor, had his hand raised when it was all said and done.
Beyond UFC 202
Regardless of who McGregor decides to fight next, the most significant takeaway from UFC 202’s main event is that McGregor is no longer a one trick pony. He’s no longer the first round king while critics wonder what happens if he doesn’t get the early KO. He added an important piece to his fighting resume and what he brings to the octagon in future bouts. The third and fourth rounds brought adversity; McGregor made key adjustments to account for this, found a second gear and battled through it. He prepared and trained for just for that possibility of a five round battle. But preparing for it, and actually doing it in the spotlight, are two very different things. Now that McGregor knows he has it in himself, it will make things that much more difficult for his future opponents.
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