"They're iconic mixed martial arts bouts" - Conor McGregor makes eerily similar comparison between the Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena rivalry and his Nate Diaz feud
Conor McGregor has compared the recent women's bantamweight title rematch between Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes to his iconic rivalry with Nate Diaz. The rivalry between McGregor and Diaz is considered by many to be one of the best in the history of MMA.
In a new three-part audio tweet, McGregor shared his thoughts on how the duo from the UFC 277 main event in Dallas were similar to him and Diaz during their intense feud:
"It's mad to me the similarity of last night's ladies' bantamweight world title fight rematch to mine and Diaz, the McGregor-Diaz fight. Fight No.1 - a highly talented, the GOAT of sport me, Amanda Nunes - the sheer toughness and willingness to fight and caught off guard... I am a fan of both women. Some fights they're iconic mixed martial arts bouts that we're all looking to witness and it's Amanda Nunes, I'm not surprised."
The holy goat 🐐 https://t.co/S5RsFY75o6
The highly anticipated clash in the recent pay-per-view went the distance, but 'The Lioness' was in complete control from start to finish. Now, Nunes has earned back her coveted champ-champ status, while also solidifying herself as the greatest woman ever to step inside the octagon.
McGregor's take on the similarities between the two rivalries is not far off the mark. Both the Irishman and Nunes lost their respective first bouts via rear-naked choke in the second round after being heavily favored to win.
They made the necessary adjustments and won their rematches via five-round decision. That said, Nunes' win was a lot clearer than McGregor's.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz: The rivalry
Then-UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor was booked to fight then-lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos in March 2016. However, the Brazilian was forced to withdraw from the contest due to an injury and Nate Diaz was announced as the replacement.
McGregor stepped up to 170 pounds for the fight against Diaz at UFC 196. The duo exchanged punches throughout, before Diaz stunned the world by tapping out McGregor with a rear-naked choke in what was arguably the biggest win of his entire career.
They faced off again at UFC 202, with Conor McGregor adopting a more conservative approach this time around. The fight went all five rounds, with 'Notorious' proving dominant in their constant exchanges. Eventually, the Irishman's new game plan paid off, helping to avenge the defeat and pose the possibility of a blockbuster trilogy fight.
Watch a clip from the rematch below: