In the main event of UFC 202, before a packed crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Conor McGregor got revenge with a five round majority decision over Nate Diaz in their anticipated rematch. The scores were 48-47 for McGregor, 47-47 for the draw, 48-47 McGregor.
McGregor dominated in the first. He came out targeting the legs of Diaz with hard kicks that went unchecked for the most part. A straight left hand dropped Diaz and McGregor stepped back and allowed him to get back to his feet. McGregor continued to punish Diaz with leg kicks and accurate punches to the head.
At the start of the second, McGregor dropped Diaz with a big left and once again allowed Diaz to get back to his feet and then dropped him again with a big shot. Diaz's legs were bruised up from the leg kicks and he was having some trouble moving around. Diaz's face was once again being busted open from shots as it was in the first fight. Diaz started applying a lot of pressure at the end of the round and started having big success with punches that were tagging McGregor against the cage. He had McGregor in a lot of trouble when the round ended.
Diaz came out with more pressure in the third, on what seemed to be a tired McGregor. McGrego was holding on as Diaz came in close with hard shots. After some tussling against the cage, McGregor landed a few hard shots that backed Diaz off for a moment. Diaz came roaring back at the end of third and got McGregor back in serious trouble.
Diaz had a big cut on the cheek the opened up as the fourth round started. They were throwing shots at each other at close range. Diaz was having vision issues with the blood flowing down his face. McGregor was still going with the leg kicks and pot-shotting. McGregor and Diaz were having success with hard shots landing during moments of the contest. Diaz was really bleeding bad and both fighters were covered in blood.
In the fifth and final round, it was a grueling pace with very close action. Diaz was applying a lot of pressure, had McGregor against the cage and was landing some good punches. In the final seconds of the round, Diaz finally took McGregor down on his back but the round came to a close a few seconds later.
McGregor was originally supposed to fight Rafael dos Anjos for the lightweight title at UFC 196 in March, but dos Anjos pulled out due to injury. McGregor agreed instead to fight Diaz in a welterweight bout, and Diaz finished the featherweight champion with a rear naked choke in the second round, ending McGregor's 15-match winning streak.
A rematch was immediately set for the landmark UFC 200 card but canceled when McGregor announced his retirement and refused to meet with media. McGregor did not end up retiring, but UFC did drop him from the card.
Instead the anticipated rematch was set for UFC 202. The promotion for the fight included a lot of tension and a bottle-throwing melee at a press conference Wednesday.
They are again fighting at welterweight, with McGregor planning to drop back down to lightweight following the bout win or lose.
