Conor McGregor has got his pride back.
After suffering a shock defeat to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 – by submission, no less – the Dubliner’s pride was badly battered.
But he dug deep on Saturday night (or Sunday morning for us) and went beyond the third round for the first time in his career to claim a majority decision win over the Stockton fighter.
It was a more cerebral performance from the featherweight champion this time around, as he was clearly afraid of repeating the mistakes of last March by over exerting himself in the early stages of the fight and leaving himself with no energy by the end of the second round.
Even when he managed to get Diaz on the floor, he remained patient and allowed the American to return to his feet, where he felt he would have the advantage, instead of being dragged into a grappling match on the floor which ended his win streak last time out.
It certainly was a more thoughtful Conor McGregor inside the octagon, and to go along with this The Notorious has been doing his best to cultivate a similar image outside of the ring as of late.
Before and after the fight, the featherweight champion was seen in what are now becoming his trademark specs.
Of course, not everyone had seen them before tonight, and so the merciless mocking began.
https://twitter.com/Scottlfc87/status/767198185341218816
"Um. Yeah, I'm gonna need you to come back to Vegas in 6 months." #UFC202 pic.twitter.com/Gsr1fnoH8r
— Mikey Stafford (@me_stafford) August 21, 2016
Conor McGregor looking like Mrs. Doubtfire with those glasses. #UFC202 https://t.co/qmA81K9HaA
— TBSN Sports (@TBSNSports) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/hannah_egann/status/767188012639879172
you know how you know Conor McGregor is hard? coz he wears Deridre Barlow glasses and no one says anything#UFC202
— HughezY 🇮🇪 The H Man 🇮🇪 Horseshoe Hughes 🇮🇪 (@TheHughezy) August 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/ThisIsVittyHoon/status/767237592307957760
And there were those who were digging the new look.
https://twitter.com/nate_knows/status/767298294196408320
https://twitter.com/BernieDawg/status/767188312880734208
I like to think I'm cool but I'm not Conor McGregor in dad glasses and a three piece window pane suit cool
— Donnie (@themidnightfox) August 21, 2016
Those glasses on fleek #McGregor #UFC202 pic.twitter.com/vlHbWGtMDU
— Joel Van Wert (@JoelVanWert) August 21, 2016
McGregor looks so cute with his glasses and his expensive suit 🇮🇪 #UFC202
— jess 🌻 (@jessikadouglas) August 21, 2016
Still, there are some who see through the facade. There’s nothing that gets past them.
Why the fuck does mcgregor wear them big fuck off glasses? Doesn't fool anyone, we all know you're thick as fuck
— Eoin (@eoinsull29) August 21, 2016
People were trying to figure out where he got them.
https://twitter.com/AndrewBarker21/status/767188386805272576
Did Mcgregor steal estelle gettys glasses? #UFC202 pic.twitter.com/WLBxv32Len
— Sgt. Laughter™ (@ilovemmasobad) August 21, 2016
So now I know where the glasses my dad wore for the last several years of his life went. Conor McGregor is wearing them.
— Robert Harding (@RobertHarding) August 21, 2016
Or maybe McGregor has just been binging on some Netflix recently.
Conor McGregor stole Barbs glasses from #StrangerThings #ripbarb #UFC202 pic.twitter.com/aKgk3SjSDi
— Maxwell (@mxwllbrbnll) August 21, 2016
Massive Mayo v Tipperary preview plus a big interview with Eamon McGee in the latest GAA Hour. Subscribe here on iTunes.
