The Hispanic Nate Diaz was imposed tonight in the second round to his compatriot American Conor McGregor within the category of the featherweight of martial arts of the UFC.
Díaz, 30, decided the victory with 48 seconds remaining in the second round, in the second great comeback of the night at the evening of UFC 196, which was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas (Nevada).
Earlier, in the women’s competition, the American Miesha Tate also emerged victorious and became the new UFC bantamweight champion – third in history – after defeating her compatriot Holly Holm with a choke hold from the back at 90 seconds to finish the fifth round.
McGregor (19-3) hit and bleed Diaz (20-10) in the first round and half of the second, making it look like he was in control of the fight.
But the Californian featherweight star, who accepted the fight less than two weeks in advance, suddenly changed the pace of the fight with a battery of punches that completely shattered his opponent’s defense before forcing McGregor to hit the ball. canvas, in what was the main event of UFC 196.
Diaz returned to the foreground of mixed martial arts after the great victory he achieved against McGregor after overcoming the initial punishment of the champion.
The stellar winner of the night recovered in the second round to punish his rival face and body, forcing him to back down, although at the end of the same McGregor tried to look for a takedown.
Diaz defended himself and took advantage of his rival’s fatigue to hold the Irishman’s neck with a guillotine to force him to surrender.
Before submitting, Diaz punished McGregor on the canvas, who moved up two divisions to 170 pounds for the fight, in which no title was on the line.
This is the second straight win for Diaz (19-10) since his loss to Brazilian Rafael Dos Anjos at 160 pounds.
McGregor was originally scheduled to face 155-pound champion Dos Anjos, who was out of the show due to injury.
Faced with this situation, McGregor agreed to fight in principle at 165 pounds against Dáaz, to later agree to go up to 170 after the short notice given to Diaz and he could prepare the fight.
For McGregor (19-3), this is his first loss since signing with the UFC and ending a 15-game winning streak that dates back to February 2011.
VIDEO.- Nate Díaz had no mercy on Conor MCGregor
