UFC 196: McGregor vs Diaz

[ColinBollocks]

Thing with the McGregor loss is (while it maybe kills some of the fun) there are a lot of excuses involved that can be spun. I noticed during the Fox post-fight show Dana White was very much trying his hardest to use them to cushion the blow. In particular, pointing out how mad it is McGregor had the nuts to take a 170 fight against Nate Diaz after RDA pulled out.

 

It's commendable and crazy that McGregor took a 170 fight to save a show so the fans that paid all that money could see him.

 

McGregor will also get stupidly richer off this fight too.

[David]

Is that really an excuse though? It's a pretty legit reason in my book. 

 

You don't go climbing 25lbs and expect to be the same fighter, it's mental. There's weight classes for a reason I guess.

 

What will be interesting will be how Aldo approaches a rematch if they go that route. After seeing McGregor not just beaten, but stopped in comprehensive fashion he may now come into the fight more mentally strong.

[jimufctna24]

David - Fair point.

 

As I said, there are no set rules for what draws in combat sport. Every case is going to be slightly different. I forgot to mention GSP. Who's star power reached its peak after his crushing loss to Matt Serra. 

 

So yeah, it very much depends. 

[ColinBollocks]

Is that really an excuse though? It's a pretty legit reason in my book. 

 

You don't go climbing 25lbs and expect to be the same fighter, it's mental. There's weight classes for a reason I guess.

 

What will be interesting will be how Aldo approaches a rematch if they go that route. After seeing McGregor not just beaten, but stopped in comprehensive fashion he may now come into the fight more mentally strong.

I'm not arguing it's not legit, chief (since the fight got announced I thought it was mental). It's just another thing that can be used to justify and soften the loss, is my point. Dana White was smart enough to bring it up and hammer it home.

[David]

 

Is that really an excuse though? It's a pretty legit reason in my book. 

 

You don't go climbing 25lbs and expect to be the same fighter, it's mental. There's weight classes for a reason I guess.

 

What will be interesting will be how Aldo approaches a rematch if they go that route. After seeing McGregor not just beaten, but stopped in comprehensive fashion he may now come into the fight more mentally strong.

I'm not arguing it's not legit, chief (since the fight got announced I thought it was mental). It's just another thing that can be used to justify and soften the loss, is my point.

 

 

Yeah, I wasn't meaning you, I was more meaning the general use of it as an excuse. 

[wandshogun09]

Speaking of GSP, what do we make of him being there last night? Is there anything to it, you reckon? There has to be, right? He never attends fights anymore. Ever. They hardly ever even go to Canada anymore such is the disconnect between GSP and the current MMA scene.

 

But he made the trip last night. And UFC 200 is approaching. If they're going to lure him in, now is the time they're going to be throwing the offers out. The McGregor fight's off the table now but there's still Lawler and, at a big stretch, the Anderson superfight.

[FUM]

I wonder if the plan was to have McGregor win and him mention GSP afterwards.

[David]

Regardless of what Dana says, I think they had planned to announce a fight between GSP & McGregor at 200 if he won. Not sure which weight right enough, possibly at 170lbs.

[jimufctna24]

The man of the moment let this slip a few days ago.

 

Diaz explained that he was campaigning for a fight against the legendary fighter when he was asked by president Dana White to replace Rafael dos Anjos, and fight Conor McGregor at UFC 196.

"I had just told Dana White, 'I'm going to 170, because you know, Pettis, Alvarez and all those guys, all those scary-ass guys don't want to fight me. So, what the hell am I going to do, sit around the division and wait for a fight? So, it's all good, I'm going to go up to 170, then, start eating. I texted that to Dana. We were talking the day before they called me [to offer the McGregor fight]."

Nate was hoping to get revenge for his brother, who lost to GSP via unanimous decision at UFC 158 in 2013. However, White said the St-Pierre had another match up in mind.

"I said, 'I'm trying to get the GSP fight,' because I heard he's coming back. He said, 'Oh, I think he wants to fight Lawler."

[ColinBollocks]

 

 

Is that really an excuse though? It's a pretty legit reason in my book. 

 

You don't go climbing 25lbs and expect to be the same fighter, it's mental. There's weight classes for a reason I guess.

 

What will be interesting will be how Aldo approaches a rematch if they go that route. After seeing McGregor not just beaten, but stopped in comprehensive fashion he may now come into the fight more mentally strong.

I'm not arguing it's not legit, chief (since the fight got announced I thought it was mental). It's just another thing that can be used to justify and soften the loss, is my point.

 

 

Yeah, I wasn't meaning you, I was more meaning the general use of it as an excuse. 

 

My bad.

 

Speaking of GSP, what do we make of him being there last night? Is there anything to it, you reckon? There has to be, right? He never attends fights anymore. Ever. They hardly ever even go to Canada anymore such is the disconnect between GSP and the current MMA scene.

 

But he made the trip last night. And UFC 200 is approaching. If they're going to lure him in, now is the time they're going to be throwing the offers out. The McGregor fight's off the table now but there's still Lawler and, at a big stretch, the Anderson superfight.

My initial thought was them doing something with McGregor and GSP, as it's definitely the biggest fight they can do. Of course, it ain't happening now. If McGregor isn't fighting and Rousey decides to stick with her November date, then they'll surely be throwing all sorts GSP's way so he fights. Lawler or RDA make the most sense if he was to come back.

[David]

The fact that GSP was there and they mentioned nothing suggests to me that they had plans to maybe announce something, although GSP has said something about 'aving a friend perform on the card and wanting to attend the card anyway.

[ColinBollocks]

Without derailing this thread too much, what do you reckon they do for the big 200 show? Last night may have both hurt and helped it, with the results in the two main events.

[wandshogun09]

although GSP has said something about 'aving a friend perform on the card and wanting to attend the card anyway.

That'd be Nordine Taleb. I don't buy that he flew to Vegas just to sit in the front row and watch Taleb though. It's not like he was even cornering him. Him and Patrick Côte go back way further and he's not in the crowd at his fights.

 

I definitely think there's more to this. Not saying anything will actually come of it, but I at least think he was there primarily to meet with Dana and Lorenzo to see where everything sits about a possible GSP return.

[FLips]

Seems a bit daft they'd book McGregor to lose so early in his hot streak, and Diaz was such a strange choice to give the rub to. Hopefully they go with the humbled underdog story for Conor, while they book Diaz strong for the big rematch down the road.

[wandshogun09]

Frankie 'Excellence Of Execution' Edgar was pretty much on the money about Diaz's chances against McGregor.

 

From Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour;

 

"I'd give him (Nate) a real shot, you know. I mean, he's pressure and volume. He's tough to deal with. And you know, Conor's biggest thing is range and length, and he doesn't have it in this fight. Southpaw against southpaw. A lot can happen. As long as Nate can take a shot, which, he's known to have a good chin, he's in this fight."