UFC 202 Results: The Real Winners and Losers from McGregor vs. Diaz 2 Fight Card
The main event of UFC 202 was one man's doing.
Even Conor McGregor's coach tried to talk him out of it. But he couldn't be persuaded. He had to avenge his only UFC loss.
Ever since Nate Diaz tapped McGregor at UFC 196, the Irishman has seemed to sharpen up his focus. No more Lambos and fine Italian silks or what have you.
So we saw on Saturday whether McGregor got what he wanted. Would he even his welterweight and versus-Nate-Diaz records to 1-1? Was there a rubber match created? Or did the inimitable Diaz once again use his cardio, his boxing, his toughness and his submissions?
As always, the final stats only reveal so much. These are the real winners and losers from UFC 202.
Winner: Conor McGregor
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Madison Square Garden, are you ready for a rubber match?
At UFC 202, two greats waged some greatness. In a five-round, back-and-forth and bloody battle that will surely head to the top of the Fight of the Year discussion, Conor McGregor avenged his only UFC defeat, fighting through exhaustion for a majority decision win over Nate Diaz.
"Surprise, surprise, m----------s. The king is back," McGregor said to Joe Rogan in the cage after Saturday night's fight in Las Vegas.
Knocking Diaz down (though not out) more than once with that notorious left hand, McGregor bloodied and battered Diaz early and then hung on, showing strength in the clinch and solid takedown defense down the stretch. He also showed fast hands and good power throughout, repeatedly lacing around Diaz's defense.
So that's a fight apiece for Diaz and McGregor. Nothing has been announced, but a there is a headlining slot for the third match at UFC 205 this November for the company's debut in New York.
McGregor had some thoughts on this. But there's a caveat: he wants the third one at lightweight.
"One more, regroup, let's do it again," McGregor said. "This time it's at 155."
We'll see how that plays. At UFC 202, the featherweight champ showed he can get it done at welterweight.
Winner: Nate Diaz
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"He should've finished me off," Diaz told Rogan in the cage after the fight.
He's partially right. The other half that didn't need to be spoken was the way in which Diaz, once again, demonstrated his toughness.
No one has taken a lot of McGregor lefts and metaphorically lived to tell about it. Diaz did and then some, working behind a lightning-quick jab to mark up McGregor on exchanges. One judge called the bout a 47-47 draw, which in this case illustrates how close the bout really was.
So Mr. Diaz, what do you say about a rubber match?
"Good job today, Conor, but we're going for three for real," Diaz told Rogan.
He didn't address whether he'd accept the fight at 155 pounds as McGregor suggested. Stay tuned.
Loser: Welterweight Division?
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Three fights at welterweight, three stoppage victories for Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone.
Now, say goodbye to Cerrone at welterweight.
Despite Cerrone's notably successful entrance onto the 170-pound scene, it looks like his days there are numbered. At least if Cerrone is to be believed.
After his knockout of Rick Story, Cerrone got on the mic and made a proposition: a title fight with lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez this November at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden.
As MMA writer Matt Roth noted on Twitter, "Donald Cerrone is one of the few fighters who understands what to do when there's a microphone in your face after a fight."
You know what? I'd watch that fight at that event. But given his one submission and two knockouts at welterweight, that card's gain might be the division's loss.
Winner: Anthony Johnson
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Anthony Johnson is the most dangerous striker in MMA. Any promotion, any division.
An uppercut flattened and finished Glover Teixeira in a rather crisp 13 seconds Saturday. Afterward, Johnson rightly called for a rematch with champ Daniel Cormier.
It makes sense. Johnson is a great foil to Cormier's wrestling-based attack, which resulted in a third-round submission win for the champ. Perhaps a rematch in New York City?
Winner: Cody Garbrandt
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Cody Garbrandt did what he said he was going to do. He handled Takeya Mizugaki by knockout 48 seconds into the first round. A heavy right hand did the job, and it moved the 25-year-old Team Alpha Male bantamweight to 10-0.
But the most important part was the inevitable call-out afterward of champion Dominick Cruz.
In a statement emailed to MMA reporters after the fight, Garbrandt said:
"I put him away faster than Cruz. I’m a different beast than Cruz. I’m a young, hungry lion. I’m mentally and physically strong. He’s never faced a fighter like me. I’ll track him down no matter how many rounds it goes—the first through the fifth and just punish him. He has a lot of weaknesses: his insecurities, his lack of confidence. He tries to make fun of fatherless children. A lot of people come from broken homes in America and he wants to make fun of that, but I’m going to show him who his daddy is.
"
Their rivalry has been simmering for a long time, and it's time for that to come about. Here's guessing it will.
UFC 202 Full Card Results
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Main Card
Conor McGregor def. Nate Diaz by majority decision
Anthony Johnson def. Glover Teixeira by KO, 0:13, Rd. 1
Donald Cerrone def. Rick Story by TKO, 2:02, Rd. 2
Mike Perry def. Hyun Gyu Lim by TKO, 2:56, Rd. 1
Tim Means def. Sabah Homasi by TKO, 2:56, Rd. 2
Preliminary Card
Cody Garbandt def. Takeya Mizugaki by KO, 0:48, Rd. 1
Raquel Pennington def. Elizabeth Phillips by unanimous decision
Artem Lobov def. Chris Avila by unanimous decision
Cortney Casey def. Randa Markos by submission (armbar), 4:34, Rd. 1
Lorenz Larkin def. Neil Magny by TKO, 4:08, Rd. 1
Colby Covington def. Max Griffin by TKO, 2:18, Rd. 3
Marvin Vettori def. Alberto Uda by submission (guillotine choke), 4:30, Rd. 1
Scott Harris writes about MMA for Bleacher Report. For more, follow Scott on Twitter.
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