Conor McGregor Takes Majority Decision Off Nate Diaz in Remarkable UFC 202 Rematch

Conor McGregor can breathe a little easier. The reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder took a majority decision from Nate Diaz in the UFC 202 headliner on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Two judges awarded McGregor 48-47 scorecards, while a third ruled it a 47-47 draw. The long-awaited non-title rematch resulted in a “Fight of the Year” contender and pulled McGregor even at 1-1 in their head-to-head series. The SBG Ireland cornerstone focused on Diaz’s lead leg early in the bout, ripping into his thigh with crushing kicks. It led to a more stationary Diaz and left him susceptible to punches. McGregor (20-3, 8-1 UFC) knocked down the Californian three times in the first two rounds but failed to generate the stoppage he predicted. His pace slowed late in the second round and into the third, as Diaz upped the pressure and began slamming multi-punch combinations into his body and head. He was also effective in the clinch, as he trapped McGregor along the fence and unleashed with punches, knees and occasional standing elbows. None of it was enough to put away “The Notorious” one. McGregor found his second wind in the fourth round and began peppering his rival with lefts and rights upstairs. Bleeding from multiple cuts, Diaz (19-11, 14-9 UFC) kept firing back and beckoned McGregor to do the same. With the outcome still in doubt, Diaz made a last-ditch move in round five, where he whiffed on two takedowns but executed the third. He spent the closing seconds on top pummeling McGregor with ground-and-pound. However, the finish Diaz needed failed to materialize, and the stage was set for a trilogy. Related » UFC 202 Round-by-Round Scoring Johnson KOs Teixeira in 13 Seconds Blackzilians juggernaut Anthony Johnson knocked out Glover Teixeira in the first round …

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