Karima_Magazine

BATTLE OF THE AGES:
UFC 202 Diaz vs. McGreggor
by Matt Freeman, host of Inside BJJ Podcast | insidebjj.com
Publicity for Nate & Training for Conor
The Battle of The Ages UFC 202 approached us with a tremendous amount of hype.
Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien and all major sports net works couldn’t get enough of
Stockton’s own Nate Diaz. The competition, on the other hand, Conor McGregor, remained
quiet in the press. Rather than focus on publicity, he spent a record $300,000
on training camps with the sole goal of beating Diaz. And, another loss would certainly
derail the mystic Mac money train. In spite of what most people were saying, this
fight posed a big risk to the fortune and fame of the Notorious Conor McGregor. Let
me first say, this fight delivered on every level! Why? Because,
1. These guys do not like each other and this fight had a beautiful story line that even
WWE’s Vince McMahon would be envious of
2. Both of these guys are smack in the middle of their respective primes and at the top
of their game and...
3. Both guys went toe to toe for 5 rounds and gave us one of the best fights I’ve ever
had the pleasure of witnessing.
Mac Money Train’s Hard Work Pays Off
McGregor’s 300 G’s certainly paid off, as he came in with a perfect game plan and
stuck to it. He did not engage Diaz in any smack talk, he paced himself perfectly and
escaped like a quarterback running out of bounce only to regroup and come back with
another offensive play. Diaz, once again demonstrated to spectators that he is the
most durable fighter in the game with the best endurance of any fighter. In the beginning,
McGregor was simply too fast, beating Diaz to the punch in nearly every exchange.
Diaz was rocked and on the mat, looking like this was going to be McGregor’s
night, but our Stockton bad boy would not give in, coming back with huge flurries.
When it seemed like McGregor was only guessing, the one mistake he did not make
was gunning for a take down like so many past fighters. A rookie mistake he made in
first battle, thinking a take down would be a way to rest, only to learn too late he was
swimming with a shark in deep waters. Having learned from past mistakes, McGregor
used the clinch with his back to the fence to catch his breath, recharge and attack. I’m
not upset at the decision. I’m almost happy for it because it only means eventually we
will see a rubber match, which only means more money for every one. You could have
given this fight to Nate and I’d say that’s ok, or you could have called this a draw and I
wouldn’t bat an eye. It was really that close and hard to call.
The outcome of this fight does not hurt Nate in any way, shape or form. It only builds
his brand as the rebel, the anti-company man, the people’s champion. For McGregor,
he avenged a loss and the “Mac money train” will keep flowing. Eventually both guys
will go to war again, make even more money, break more records, and cement both
fighter’s legacy in what will be a historic trilogy never not soon forgotten.
Bottom Line
They’ll be back. And when they do, the world will be watching.
32 KARIMA | NOVEMBER 2016 NOVEMBER 2016 | KARIMA 33