Will he overcome Nate Diaz?
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For the main man of the hour, this is just another fight to be won. Another pay cheque to pick up. One more fight night on the road to achieving his gargantuan goals.
Sure, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the big fight but it's nothing McGregor hasn't seen before. He's been the centre of attention for a long time, it's something he thrives off. This is his elemental state, where he likes to be.
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So, he's obviously going to take some beating, especially when one takes into account just how hard he has been preparing for this battle. Indeed, the following composite by MMA Junkie reporter Chamatkar Sandhu tells us everything we need to know about how much effort he has put into transforming for the shift into a new weight category for the past few months:
The general consensus heading into this one is that McGregor is the marginal favourite, and although he is the alpha male right now, many experts are predicting that this will be a very tight affair, something their cagey confrontations have added credence to.
A lot more is known about Diaz’s grappling skills, so it has been suggested that he could take this one to the ground to test his opponent’s potentially shaky submission game, and he also has a significant height advantage which could come into effect very early in the opening round.
However, the ferocious Irish man is quick, powerful and usually ends fights early. A look at Sherdog.com’s matchup analysis tells us a lot about the important basics:
Some commentators have suggested that McGregor is too smart to get drawn into a battle on the mat with Diaz and that he'll look to go at this one by relying on his usually trusty core strengths As outlined by FOXSports’ Elias Cepeda: “McGregor has a great sense of range and timing, and often fights with his hands low, relying on head movement to get out of the way of strikes. Against Diaz, McGregor will have to get further out of the way of strikes than he is used to.”
It's hard to argue convincingly against this prognosis because having come this far on the dollar-littered path the 27-year-old is sure to be as controlled and sure as he has ever been and he won't want to get fooled so easily by any of Diaz's tactics.
One interesting tidbit is that McGregor has clocked up a lot less minutes than Diaz on the UFC circuit. Having jumped on board four years later, this is an obvious difference between the two but it also serves as a fresh reminder of the gap in experience between the pair.
So far, that hasn't mattered to any of the Dubliner's recent bouts but some doubters still remain, and there is a significantly loud group of backbiters who want nothing more than to see the smile wiped clean from McGregor's face. However, these detractors have been proven wrong so many times before it's easy to imagine they'll be disappointed once again.
Quotable personality backed up by stats, conviction
He doesn't just talk the talk or walk the walk; he spits his words with venomous self-belief and he struts for all to see. He might not be the most loquacious of characters though he sure likes to talk, but the most important thing is that, so far, he has been able to deliver on his promises and prophesies.
The current featherweight champion always lights up a room and gives the press some meaty material at his press conferences and interviews – he's been a revelation along the way and he's backed up his bravado with results and records. His career to date has seen him win a phenomenal 19 fights, losing just two.
Calling out Floyd Mayweather isn't something to be undertaken lightly, but that's the sort of thing we have all become accustomed to hearing from him. Thankfully, it hasn't lost its appeal yet and he remains the sporting gift that keeps on giving – and taking away from his opponents.
Some skeptics remain about whether or not MMA is the fastest-growing sport in the world, but what's undeniable is that he has added a more widespread appeal, he's boosted its visibility with his no-holds-barred attitude and inimitable style, both inside and outside the octagon.
Sure, there have been talented guys involved for years, but nobody like McGregor who has piqued the passions and interests of even the most casual of observers.
When you catch the attentions of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who last year dubbed him the “McGregor-nator”, you must be doing something right. He's now selling out arenas in Las Vegas, has his sights on climbing the next weight division and is continuing to talk up a grand return to fight in Croke Park, Ireland – this is his time and he's making the most of it.
