UFC 202 Pivotal Moments: Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor 2, rounds 3, 4, and 5

No one has ever really pressed Conor McGregor, not since he truly became Conor McGregor. His story has been one of dominance. Almost inexplicably, his results seem to have improved with the level of his competition, his boastful predictions growing more bold with each victory, and yet somehow never failing to materialize. No one ever pressed Conor McGregor, until Nate Diaz.

After his first loss in over five years, there were questions which McGregor had to answer. For us; for himself. Firstly, how would he deal with a defeat? Would he press one, passing the result off as a fluke? Or would he adjust? And what about his mentality? Would his confidence collapse, or explode, or would it grow harder, stronger, more refined? He could fight an opponent–we all knew that–but could he fight himself, and change?

The first eight minutes of the rematch suggested that yes, he could. McGregor attacked Diaz’s legs. It wasn’t something he had ever done before, having even mocked the rote Muay Thai approach of his opponents, but it was something others had used to beat Nate Diaz, so he did it. He laid back, countering Diaz’s offense rather than chasing after him and spending his energy on the air. He knocked Diaz down, three times, when in the first fight he hadn’t managed one–but unlike past opponents, McGregor did not pursue, and fall into Diaz’s guard. He stepped back, and let Diaz up, and kept going.

He kept going until the end of round two, when it all started to happen again.

(Note: This is part two of a two-part article. If you missed part one, which covered rounds one and two, you can read it by following this link.)

ROUND THREE

After two knockdowns, McGregor had been beaten up. Not a lot, but enough to know that Diaz was coming on, and he was fading. He should never have let the other man see him turn his back, but he had needed space to breathe, and the body does what it will. As round three opened, McGregor stuck to his gameplan. He hadn’t had one last time, and the fight had slipped through his fingers like California sand. Now that he had a strategy in mind, he clung to it like a blind man in the dark.

He had some success, but Diaz had learned the solution to his leg kicks. Instead of hanging back and trying to check, he opted to come forward. Pressure the kicker, and he has to step back–when he steps back, he cannot kick. It wasn’t the approach that had worked for Diaz so well in recent years, but it was the right one for McGregor.

For a moment, the line between Diazes seemed to blur. Nick Diaz had been barred from the corner, prevented from even entering the arena. But for a moment, as the third round closed, Nick Diaz materialized in the Octagon itself, wearing his little brother’s skin. With a blood-smeared scowl he pressed forward, put McGregor against the fence, and went to work.

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1. As McGregor retreats toward the fence, Diaz marches him down.

2. A body jab bend McGregor over.

3. Nate uses his broken posture to grab a collar tie.

4. McGregor hips in to fight the pressure . . .

5. . . . and overhooks Diaz’s right arm.

6. Nate starts rapping away with his left hand.

7. Conor wraps his arm around Diaz’s to stop the punches.

8. Now with both arms inside of McGregor’s, Nate starts working to improve position. He grabs the wrist of Conor’s overhooking arm with his free left hand (circled).

9. And he turns into McGregor, driving his forehead into his jaw.

10. Nate extends his left arm and pins McGregor’s arm to his side.

11. Three quick little shots to the jaw . . .

12. . . . and McGregor frees his hand, trapping Nate’s hands on the inside again.

13. Inside position works fine, though. Diaz plants his head under McGregor’s chin and rips his right arm free to punch the body.

14. The torque of that punch frees his other arm, and lances a left hand across McGregor’s chin.

Nate, like his big brother, has always been an underrated clinch fighter. Perhaps it’s the lanky frame, so unlike that of a typical wrestler, or the tactics, a blend of boxing and schoolyard bully. Regardless, Nate Diaz has a few tricks in the phone booth, and he put them to work against McGregor. He peeled his hands out of the way and slung punches around them. He buried his head in McGregor’s chest to straighten out his legs and stop the movement that was such a big part of his new gameplan. He hit the body, punishing the Irishman for each gasp, and smashed ropey blows across his jaw.

McGregor did his best to defend, and in fairness, his best wasn’t bad. He slipped and rolled, covered his body and his head. Punches got through, but that’s what happens when you’re stuck with your back against the wall, too tired to move. The horn sounded, and he walked back to his corner, wearing the resigned expression of …

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