Quote: Nate Diaz Will Take Conor McGregor’s Chin Home

I have been waiting for this fight ever since UFC 196; that it is so close now almost feels surreal.

I think Nate’s camp has made the wrong move putting on weight for this fight, it’s going to slow him down. Conor was already too fast for him at 196, so Nate putting on weight is just going to make that worse.

He would be well advised to try and take the fight to the ground ands his weight to keep Conor down, but I don’t see Nate going into this fight with that strategy. Conor wins via decision by getting in and out with his punches, and being too elusive for Nate to catch up with.

With more time to prepare, Nate Diaz should in theory have a much better performance this time around, despite already winning the first fight on less than two weeks’ notice. He’s got one of the sturdiest chins in the history of the sport and as we saw in the last one, he can hurt McGregor with a single punch and work to finish moments later.

But McGregor I do believe to be a special fighter and should be a lot wiser with his offensive output. At UFC 196, I saw a McGregor who let success get to his head and thought he could spinning wheel kick his way to victory, much like a Ronda Rousey who thought she could outbox a boxer in Holly Holm. McGregor was humbled and knocked off his high horse, rightfully so. Now however, I feel McGregor will be more calculated with his approach and not expend so much energy on things that won’t work against Diaz.

When it all boils down to it, McGregor was right — he was teeing off on Diaz, unloading power shot after power shot seemingly at will. That was until he emptied the tank and all it took was one strike from Diaz to drain the reservoir.

He has to to stay away from Diaz’ sneaky BJJ however, because it doesn’t matter how much he has improved in that respect. Diaz will always be better. I just think that McGregor is taking this victory back, and the next biggest money fight will be against Nick.