Ahead of UFC 229: Remembering McGregor vs Diaz
On October 6, 2018, Conor McGregor will step foot in the Octagon for the first time since November 12, 2016.
McGregor is set to challenge Lightweight Champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov for the title he never lost in the Octagon, at UFC 229.
Khabib will be looking to inflict only the second defeat of the past eight years on McGregor. The only other man to beat McGregor in that time: Nate Diaz.
McGregor and Diaz first met at UFC 196 on March 5, 2016 in a Welterweight bout wherein McGregor's Featherweight Championship was therefore not on the line.
The fight was a smash at the box office drawing what was then the second most successful UFC pay per view event ever, accruing 1.317 million buys.
In the fight of the night, the trash talking fighters exchanged brain rattling strikes as they fired away a number of impressive combinations.
However, McGregor's stamina began to wane in the second round and after Diaz smashed him with some impressive punches, he managed to put McGregor in full mount. When the Irishman gave Diaz his back, the rear-naked choke followed for the submission victory for Diaz.
Onlookers were shocked as McGregor had seemed invincible in UFC. However, the defeat meant that the anticipation was at fever pitch for the inevitable rematch which took place at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016. That event became the most successful in history surpassing the 1.6 million buys the Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir sequel pulled at UFC 100, seven years earlier with an incredible 1.65 million orders.
This time the result was reversed and McGregor earned the win - by decision. A rarity for McGregor who usually dismissed his opponents in double quick time with his superb striking ability, this demonstrated his massive improvement in conditioning and pacing of his fights.
Lasting five full rounds of competition in by far the longest fight of his career, McGregor proved his doubters wrong and showed that he was not a one trick pony fighter and had stamina and wrestling skills to supplement his unparalleled striking ability.
It is McGregor's heart and constant desire to improve as well as a relentless will to win which proved him to be the better man in the Diaz sequel.
These are the same reasons why MMA supporters should not dismiss McGregor's chances of regaining the Lightweight Championship from Khabib and in doing so becoming the first fighter to defeat the Russian who boasts the current longest undefeated streak in the sport with an imperious record of 26 wins out of 26 fights.
Will McGregor and Khabib break the record pay per view buyrate, McGregor and Diaz achieved at UFC 202? It seems more than likely with the buzz McGregor's return has generated and the vast differential in style between the Irish striker and the Russian wrestler.
McGregor and Khabib will likely more than match the excitement and financial muscle of McGregor and Diaz.