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#1 Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz: UFC 196 (March 5th, 2016)
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Unquestionably Conor McGregor's most infamous MMA defeat, his stoppage loss at the hands of arch-rival Nate Diaz at UFC 196 is till date one of the most talked-about matches in Mixed Martial Arts history. While McGregor would eventually avenge his loss to Diaz--earning a majority decision victory over the latter at UFC 202--their first encounter shall forever be etched in the history books as one of the iconic showdowns in combat sports.
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McGregor started off the fight at a fast pace--tagging Diaz at will and bloodying up the latter. However, McGregor's explosive style of footwork which helped him hit and avoid getting hit by his opponent early would eventually prove to be his downfall as the Irishman's gas tank seemed to run out in Round 2.
Diaz began landing several slaps and straight punches in the second round, with the odd hooks being exchanged as well. He'd then go on to tag McGregor with a beautiful 1-2 (jab-straight) right on the latter's chin. The aforementioned combination rocked McGregor and what followed was a barrage of punches, elbows and of course a good dose of "Stockton Slaps" from one of Stockton, California's finest--Nathan Donald Diaz.
A gassed and badly wobbled McGregor shot in for a desperation single-leg takedown, only to be sprawled upon by Diaz. The latter went on to secure the mount position on McGregor, before eventually taking his back and tapping out The Notorious One with a rear-naked choke.
Unlike McGregor's 2 prior losses, this fight witnessed him getting hurt in the striking exchanges before being dominated in the grappling department. Nevertheless, McGregor learned from his mistakes and faced Diaz in the rematch at UFC 202--out-working the latter whilst being "efficient with his energy" and refraining from mindlessly chasing the knockout.
In a nutshell, even his biggest detractors would find it nigh impossible to discredit Conor McGregor--especially as regards him learning from his losses.
