Some have called into question Conor McGregor's decision to ask for an immediate rematch with Nate Diaz having been submitted in the second round at UFC 196, with the main concern being that if Diaz was able to win so convincingly with practically no training camp then surely the Irishman is in for more of the same when Stockton's finest has full preparation this time around.
But whether or not you agree with the thinking behind the main event at UFC 200, it's happening, and Conor is going to have to approach this fight differently this time around. The Dubliner himself admitted he was not efficient enough and punched himself out, and it appears that he also largely ignored the gameplan that his corner were urging him to utilise.
A reddit user by the name of zweep has transcribed the audio that can be heard from John Kavanagh and Owen Roddy in Conor's corner (which is available via Fight Pass as of today) and what he found is that the two coaches were constantly asking for leg kicks and body shots which didn't come as much as they would have wanted.
[Round 1]
Take your time
Clinch Up
Right hand on the bicep
Right hand on the bicep
Keep that bicep
Clinch ends
That leg kick is there
Take your time
That's that reaction.
Owen: Fake right lead uppercut!
John to Owen: He's not leaning forward but no? I think he's [inaudbile]
Owen: Lead uppercut, lead uppercut Conor.
That leg kick is there
Keep the head moving.
Right hand lead uppercut.
Owen: Fake left lead uppercut Conor.
John to Owen(Regarding the fake right lead uppercut): Yeah I see that shot now yeah, in between rounds.
Conor's counter left that cuts Nate
Owen: Body! Body! Leg kick! Ohh got him got him, leg kick Body's there as well.
Nothing!
John to Owen: Loading a little bit on the left hand yeah, kinda falling into it when hes just throwing the left.
Owen: Stick the jab! Get the head to the outside [inaudible] Yeah, yeah.
Cut him off.
Nates takes him down
Leg lock!
Conor sweeps
30 seconds!
Ear to ear.
Ear to ear.
Ear to ear Conor!
Nate takes open guard
Back away Conor please.
Back away Conor.
Conor.
Owen: Stand up Conor!
10 seconds
Owen: Your going in on your own John
[End of Round 1]
What a fantastic round
Rinse and spit, you can hold onto the water
How you feeling?
McGregor: Good.
Nice.
Get the breathing there, feel that recovery.
Loading a little bit into the left hand falling into it, lets show the left hand and right uppercut, cause when you load up that he's leaning and there's the right uppercut.
You're looking beautiful.
You don't have to put everything on every shot.
Show that left hand, he's leaning, the right hand is there.
Let's pepper those legs as well we have those leg kicks yeah?
All right, let's show them another round.
There we go, full recovery, full recovery.
[Round 2]
Owen: Get that head going - beautiful.
Owen: That's it.
Conor's left to the body
Yes! That's where that left goes!
Body!
Owen: Body!
Yes!
Second Clinch Up
Bicep. Keep that bicep.
Clinch ends
Owen: Body, body, body that!
Body Conor, body!
Elbow Conor!
Oh that's the uppercut!
Owen: Keep the head going!
Elbow on the inside Conor.
Owen: Work the body and back up.
Elbow!
Elbow!
Diaz lands the 1-2 that stuns Conor
Owen: Get ready! Get ready! Get busy!
Owen: Left right Conor! Left right hook!
Owen/Artem [Inaudible]
Third clinch up
Bicep!
Clinch ends
Owen: Get moving Conor! Body! Work the body!
Conor shoots on Nate, Nate takes full mount
Owen: Get moving left Conor!
Fight ends
The plan seemingly was to wear Diaz down with leg kicks and shots to the body, and it's a damn solid gameplan that many would consider to be McGregor's best chance of beating Diaz. However, McGregor would have wanted to put his opponent away with his hands to reinforce the idea that nobody could take his shots, and went headhunting. Nate could take his shots, the straight left in particular, and capitalised on his opponent's over exertion.
That's not to say Conor only threw punches like he was fighting a mate in EA SPORTS UFC 2, as he did land a few body shots and some painful looking oblique kicks early on, but his corner seemingly wanted to see far more. Furthermore, this is not to say that McGregor would have won if he listened to his corner more, as that wouldn't be doing Nate Diaz's performance on the night justice.
Conor was seriously tested by Chad Mendes, but his focus on kicks and body shots eventually drained the wrestler of all energy and Conor was able to put him away. Had he listened to his corner, he may have had more joy and conserved some energy in the process.
It will be very interesting to see how Conor handles his second crack at the only man to defeat him in the UFC, and we're expecting him to start with more of a focus on the body.
