Diego Brandao Fight
McGregor’s first fight in his native Ireland for the UFC came in his third Octagon outing against Diego Brandao, and he had a clear vision of how the fight was going to play out.
“He’s gonna feel pressure like he never felt before,” McGregor told UFC correspondent Caroline Pearce. “He’s gonna be on the back foot… he’ll have his back against the fence from the bell and I’m gonna press him and press him and crack him with shot’s he’s never felt.
“Then, ultimately he will crumble and I don’t think he’ll get out of the first round.”
It was an accurate assessment of what was to come, though McGregor had to get the better of Brando in the clinch and the mat in the first half of the round.
Then, just as he’d stated, when they rose back up Brandao was suddenly on the back foot looking troubled and got blasted with big shots against the cage that would sink him to the mat for a finish inside of the first five minutes.
