Nate Diaz’s corner wanted a war and boy did the Stockton native deliver at UFC 196.
Diaz got the upset victory over Conor McGregor in Las Vegas on Sunday morning via second round submission after losing the opening frame. Here’s exactly what his corner told him from the end of the first round until he locked in that rear-naked choke and finished the fight.
End of round one
A bloodied up Diaz walks back to his stool.
“Try to catch those kicks again, Nate. Also don’t be afraid to try to force the clinch. Pop more jabs, pop more straight lefts. Try to catch those kicks though.”
“Nathan, you should get him to the ground. He’s setting you up and throwing.”
“Yeah try to catch those kicks, throw a hard left on him too when he’s walking forwards. Also don’t be afraid to grab the clinch on him again against the cage.”
Bell rings. Round two starts
Conor McGregor throws a wheel kick up top early in the round.
“Catch those, Nate. Catch those. When he throws those, catch.”
Diaz fakes initiating a clinch, sticks a jab and avoids a big left.
“Pop that straight left. Catch those kicks. Catch the clinch, Nate. Throw your left too.”
“Clinch, clinch! Throw back, Nate. Throw back. Look for a takedown in the scrambles.”
Diaz clinches at the cage.
“Nice. Knee the leg, knee the leg. You can drop to a takedown.”
McGregor breaks free and the two slug it out, trading combinations.
“Fire back. Fire back, Nate. That’s it, Nate. Take him down with that.”
“Now you’re doing it, you got it, Nate. He’s losing power.”
“There it is, Nate. Yeah, make this ugly, make this a war. You’re tougher than he is, Nate. You got more heart, Nate. Throw back.”
Diaz rocks McGregor with a big left.
“That’s it, baby. Stalk him down. Yeah, baby. Now what’s up? Now what’s up?”
“He’s hurt. You’ve got more heart. You’ve got more heart, baby. Heart, baby. Heart, baby. You’re willing to die, he’s not. You will die, Nate. You’re willing to die, Nate. He’s not.”
“You’re done, Conor. You’re done, Conor. You’re done. You’re done, son. You’re breaking, Conor. Take him down if you can, Nate.”
After eating some nasty head shots, McGregor shoots in for the takedown. Diaz stuffs it.
“Sprawl, sprawl, sprawl. Choke him, choke him. Finish him!”
Diaz gets on top, rains down with ground and pound, takes his back and locks in the rear-naked choke. McGregor taps.
“Punch him, punch him, punch him! Choke, choke. Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhh! (x a million)”
