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Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz have been part of one of the fiercest rivalries in the UFC. Their rematch at UFC 202 set a record for being the highest pay-per-view selling event in the MMA promotion's history. While the record was later broken by UFC 229, Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 2 still stands as one of the highest PPV-selling UFC events.
The main driving force behind their fights being blockbuster events is the animosity between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz. It has been evident in press conferences, on social media, and, of course, inside the octagon. However, the two have also recognized each other as masters of the craft, and have paid respect whenever it was due.
While MMA fighters respecting each other is a common sight, especially in the UFC, for athletes to hate each other and later develop a sense of respect is rare and heartwarming.
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On that note, here's a look at five such instances when Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz showed respect to each other.
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#5 Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz praise each other during UFC 196 octagon interview
Conor McGregor faced Nate Diaz at UFC 196 after the former came in on short notice to replace the injured Rafael dos Anjos. The Stockton-native 'shook up the world', in the words of Joe Rogan, by submitting McGregor in round two and causing one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
During the octagon interview post their fight, both Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz had only praise for each other. Before going on to hug McGregor inside the octagon, Diaz praised his opponent for agreeing to move up a weight class and taking the fight on short notice. He told Joe Rogan:
"He had some good punches and a lot of them, so good on his part.. Right on, Conor McGregor for taking the fight, too, on short notice. We got it done."
Meanwhile, the 'Notorious' also had words of praise for his opponent. Describing what went wrong during the first loss of his UFC career, Conor McGregor said:
"I felt I took him in the first round, but I was inefficient with my energy.. But I'm humble in victory or defeat, and I respect Nate; he came in, he took the final shot.. He was efficient, I wasn't efficient. That was it, I feel."
#4 Conor McGregor calls Nate Diaz a 'Mexican warrior'
Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz took on each other for the second time inside the octagon at UFC 202.
The two fighters put on a slugfest for five complete rounds, taking the decision of their rematch to the judges. When the fight ended, McGregor and Diaz, who were busy throwing bottles at each other in the pre-fight press conference, hugged each other. McGregor told Diaz:
"Great fight, brother. Great f***ing fight. You're a little Mexican warrior."
In response, Nate Diaz called his opponent a 'soldier'. Conor McGregor pulled off a close majority decision win, with his leg kicks being a big factor in the final decision.
Replying to Joe Rogan on whether the leg kicks were a part of his gameplan, the Irishman agreed and lauded Diaz for his toughness, saying:
"You’re damn right, it was. He (Nate Diaz) took them better than we expected. He didn’t show, didn’t let me know. That toughness and durability that he has, crept back in during the later rounds, but I’m still happy to come out with a win. It was a hell of a fight; he was a hell of a competitor, and he brought the best out in me."
#3 Conor McGregor says, "You gotta respect Nate Diaz" at UFC 202 post-fight press conference
Conor McGregor won the rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 202, but the Stockton-native seemed to have won the Irishman's respect. All the trash talk and animosity that was there during the build-up of the rematch disappeared in the aftermath. It was evident inside the octagon and even during the post-fight press conference.
The 'Notorious' explained the learnings from UFC 196 that he used to his advantage and the complete gameplan he adopted for UFC 202 at the post-fight press conference. However, at the end, Conor McGregor couldn't help but praise Nate Diaz, saying:
"When he stepped in, I threw some elbows as well. I tell you what, man, his face was opened up, and he still just kept coming. He (was) still just coming at me. You gotta respect that. You gotta respect Nate Diaz and the style of fighting that he brings. How can you not?"
Watch the UFC 202 post-fight conference below:
#2 Nate Diaz gives a major compliment to Conor McGregor
Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor have exchanged a ton of insults over the years, starting in 2016, when Diaz called out the 'Notorious' for the first time. However, the two have learned to respect each other after coming face to face twice inside the octagon.
After losing the rematch against Conor McGregor at UFC 202, Nate Diaz took a three-year hiatus from MMA. The 'Stockton Slugger' has often been at loggerheads with the UFC and Dana White for various reasons. In his words, he is 'too real for the UFC'.
While Nate Diaz believes the majority of UFC fighters do not understand the fight business as much as he does, he recognized Conor McGregor for being a real one. Ahead of his BMF title fight against Jorge Masvidal in 2019, Nate Diaz complimented Conor McGregor in an interview with ESPN, and said:
"He (Conor McGregor) understands all about the real sh*t too, though. I could hear when I fought him, when I fought him I was like, ‘Oh you’re really trying to get into a fight’. You recognize the real fight game. We got something on our hands here, a real fight. That’s what drew the trash into that fight, the realness of that sh*t. There’s nobody like that in the fight game.. It’s all the real truth of the game, and the truth shall set you free."
#1 Conor McGregor names Nate Diaz as his toughest opponent ever
Despite hating his opponent Nate Diaz for years and having tried his best to 'kill' him inside the octagon, Conor McGregor has only respect for the Stockton native. During a Q&A session on Twitter, Conor McGregor was asked about who his toughest opponent was.
Without any hesitation, the 'Notorious' named his old foe, writing:
"Nate Diaz. The west coast zombie"
Conor McGregor further lauded Nate Diaz for his fighting style and said that the two UFC athletes were pretty much the same in their mindsets. The Irishman also spoke about a possible trilogy between him and Diaz, and said that it would be a 'trilogy of epic proportions'. He wrote:
"Excellent fighter! The trilogy will be of epic proportions when it goes down. Nathan, and his fighting styles, are never far from my thoughts throughout my own practices. When it happens, I’m ready."
