Nate Diaz gets up from the canvas during his welterweight rematch against Conor McGregor at the UFC 202 event at T-Mobile Arena on August 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. McGregor won by majority decision. (Photo : Getty Images/Steve Marcus)
Nate Diaz has suffered a loss in his rematch with Conor McGregor in UFC 202 last Saturday, August 20, in Las Vegas by majority decision.
Diaz was victorious against McGregor during their first match at UFC 196 via submission last March. A third rematch is surely on the words, as McGregor immediately said, "Let's do it again" after their five-round bout, according to The Telegraph.
In their significant strikes that they have landed overall, though, Diaz seems to take the edge by landing 166, only two points above McGregor's 164. The result of the match has been nothing short of controversial, with some saying Diaz should have won while others thought it was a draw, according to MMA Mania.
Overall, McGregor had far fewer punches than Diaz, attempting only 286 times, while Diaz had 343 attempts. In this case, McGregor had much higher accuracy on landing these punches despite them being fewer, having a higher percentage rate for every round except the second round, where they were tied.
With that said, this opens up the possibility that Diaz can get his final revenge next time. Here is an analysis of how Diaz can fare on their third (and possibly final) bout, and whether he stands a chance.
When it comes to striking and punching, Diaz's style is to lunge forward and try to corner the opponent as much as possible. This style can often be countered by those who have speed in their footwork, and since Diaz is a bit flat-footed, this has caused us trouble whenever his opponent aims for the leg.
When it comes to wrestling, it cannot be said that Diaz specializes on this feat. He has made improvements on this regard, along with enhanced strength overtime, but out wresting the opponent is not entirely his forte. His leg takedown have subpar posture and composure when it comes to setting it up, but he becomes effective once he manages to succeed.
His true specialty lies on his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. Donning a black belt under Cesar Gracie, and earning victories through submissions when his opponents begin wrestling him, BJJ will always be Diaz's secret weapon, which McGregor has trained himself just in order to counter Diaz. With this in mind, he will have a fair chance against McGregor, and it's only a matter of who gets lucky over one another.
