UFC 246 free fight: Conor McGregor bounces back to beat Nate Diaz in instant classic

Conor McGregor has had a host of thrilling matchups inside the UFC octagon during the course of his career, but none were more exciting than his rematch with Nate Diaz at UFC 202 in August 2016.

Diaz stunned the Dubliner in their first meeting at UFC 196 when he rocked the Irishman, then took advantage of an ill-advised takedown attempt to gain top position and smash him with strikes before locking up a rear-naked choke for the win.

McGregor’s response to his first UFC loss impressed everyone backstage at MGM Grand Garden Arena that night. He showed up to the post-fight press conference, admitted his mistakes – “I was inefficient with my energy tonight” – and vowed to return a better fighter.

Not for the first time, he made good on his promise.

The rematch was booked for UFC 202, with McGregor insisting that the bout be contested once again at welterweight. This wasn’t just about getting his win back, this was about proving a point. Winning at 155 pounds would have left question marks, and he wanted to leave no doubt that he could win at 170.

The buildup featured a “notorious” press conference moment when Diaz and his team walked out of the event after McGregor showed up a half-hour late. Words were exchanged across the David Copperfield Theater, then McGregor launched a salvo of Monster Energy cans at Diaz and his team. It led to a fine from the UFC, but only served to raise the temperature ahead of the already hotly anticipated rematch.

The weigh-ins, held at the cavernous Marquee Ballroom at the MGM Grand, saw a sea of humanity pack the room as a raucous Irish contingent met an equally vociferous army of Diaz fans. The tension was similar to that of a big soccer derby match, but tempers stayed in check, even when the two protagonists faced off.

It set the stage for an epic rematch that will go down in UFC history as one of the best main events ever witnessed inside the octagon. McGregor exacted revenge over Diaz by edging a majority decision after five breathless rounds at T-Mobile Arena.

A trilogy match remains a possibility, and while McGregor’s immediate targets may lie elsewhere, the prospect of a third match between the Dubliner and the Stockton native remains an exciting possibility for the pair farther down the line.

Relive McGregor’s classic back-and-forth war with Diaz at UFC 202 in the video above.