Conor McGregor makes bold prediction for rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 202
"Mystic" Mac is back and he's looking into his crystal ball for UFC 202.
Conor McGregor is seeking revenge in his rematch against Nate Diaz when they meet on Aug. 20 in Las Vegas and he says he's made the necessary adjustments to ensure he won't suffer another defeat inside the Octagon.
McGregor fell to Diaz by rear naked choke in the second round at UFC 196, but he's confident in the changes he's made and he's not afraid to make a bold prediction for the rematch.
McGregor admits he probably underestimated Diaz heading into their first fight, but says there will be no such mistake this time around
"I didn't give enough credit to Nate's durability and his experience," McGregor told FOX Sports on the UFC 202 media conference call. "He's a very experienced fighter. He's had more UFC fights than I've had fights. Also his height and his range and his reactions, I gave no respect to that.
"I marched forward and in fairness, for the first round and a half he was a heavy bag with eyeballs. I was correct in that, but his durability held out, his experience held out for him. So this time I've been preparing for that. I've been preparing for a durable, experienced fighter, who has the reach, the height and the length, and that's it. So I feel very confident that we will go in and get this win back and put this man away."
To ensure there's not going to be a repeat of what happened in the first fight, McGregor brought in a slew of new training partners to help him get ready for a bigger opponent in Diaz.
McGregor has been working with several professional boxers, who have a body type similar to that of Diaz, as well as world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners such as Dillan Danis to hone his ground skills.
When he signed to face Diaz the last time, McGregor had only 10 days to prepare for the change of opponents, after he was originally scheduled to fight former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos.
Still, McGregor had no problem saying he'd dispatch Diaz inside the first round, and he lived to eat his words following a stunning second-round submission — his first defeat inside the Octagon.
To his credit, McGregor called his shot against Chad Mendes in July 2015 and did the same for his first-round finish of Jose Aldo to win the featherweight title. McGregor gives Diaz a little more respect ahead of the rematch, but says he still doesn't see how the fight makes it past 15 minutes.
"I just got into saying I was going to stop the guy in the first round," McGregor explained. "If I really look at it, I thought he has a solid chin, he's durable, very experienced, he has the size and the weight on me. I think that was the wrong thing, to go in expecting the first round, and I did go out to KO him in the first round. I marched forward and backed him up and teed off on his head. I did what I said I would do, but respect to him. He stuck it out, he was durable, he was experienced, he weathered the storm.
"But this time, I'm still going to march forward, I'm still going to press him, I'm still going to bust him, there's just going to be a lot more in my tank. I'm going to be a lot more prepared for a man that can stay in there with me. Even still, I struggle to give him past round three."
