Diaz beat McGregor in their first fight. Photo: Jeff Bottari/UFC
Conor McGregor admits that he did not give due value to Nate diaz before the two clashed in March, at UFC 196, which represented the Irishman's first defeat in the octagon.
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At the time, Diaz accepted the fight just over ten days in advance, replacing the injured man. Rafael dos Anjos. Even though he wasn't training, the American surprised and submitted the featherweight champion in the second round.
In an interview with “GQ” magazine, McGregor confessed that he didn't expect Diaz to be as competitive as he was. “He’s a solid, resilient guy. He's not the most skilled. He is experienced and durable, he has the weight, the height and the wingspan. He has some attributes that I need to pay attention to that I didn't respect the first time around,” he admitted. “I didn’t know he would be so tough. I threw too many moves, underestimated my opponent's durability, and that was it. My confidence was not shaken. I still feel like I'm the best fighter. I was winning most of the fight, and I feel like he got lucky. I will now address this issue and fix it.”
McGregor and Diaz have a rematch this Saturday (20), in the main fight of UFC 202, in Las Vegas (USA). As happened in the first clash, the duel will be held in the welterweight division (up to 77 kg).
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