Conor McGregor is synonymous with UFC betting. For the last couple years the loud mouth Irish has been known for drawing one of the biggest pay per view audiences. Recently McGregor was humbled by a second round submission against Nate Diaz at UFC 196. Now McGregor is poised to settle the score against Diaz in UFC 202. On Saturday the 20th of August, these two will square up for the second time in what is shaping up to be one of the biggest fights of our lifetimes.
After Diaz handed McGregor his defeat, McGregor talked about how he is humble both in losing and in winning. Apparently no one was around during his humble speeches after victories, but we were there for this defeat. “I took the chance going at 170. I felt I took him the first round but I was inefficient with my energy.” McGregor elaborated on the weight change. “But I’m humble in victory or defeat and I respect Nate. He came in and took the fight at short notice and done the job [sic].”
However McGregor’s ill-fated ploy at humility was short lived. “I’m feeling very confident in myself that I’ll go in and I’ll toy with this man,” McGregor told MMAFighting’s David O’Gorman. “Eight minutes of the fight, I was toying with him. That fade away left hand that he caught me with, my senses were still there. It was almost like a fatigue thing that my balance was gone.”
McGregor seems very confident in his ability to take on the 31-year old Diaz. In the past McGregor relied on his trash talking to be able to get inside his opponents head, however since Diaz already choked him out he doesn’t seem to be paying too much attention to McGregor’s talk.
“There ain’t nothing to say, In the reality of it in times of war he aint even alive – I own all his shit,” Diaz said in an interview to Joe Rogan at UFC 200. “It’s whatever; he can say what he wants (he) ain’t got shit to say.”
‘Kill or be Killed’ is how Diaz finished that interview and its definitely an apt description of the atmosphere heading into this fight. Although Diaz subdued McGregor during their first bout, the sportsbooks still have McGregor listed as the favorite. The odds are as follows:
Nate Diaz 21/2 (+115) +115
Conor McGregor 21/2 (-135) -135
When these two faced each other originally it was on short notice and several changes had to be made in order for them to fight at the agreed upon weight class. Now with a full camp of preparation it will be interesting to see how these two fighters fare against each other.
“It makes sense for me to have the contest at 170 to right the wrong, to leave no questions,” McGregor was quoted as saying. “This is the one; this is where I put everything to rest. I’m going to do what I always do, I’m going to have him backed up I’m going to press forward similar to the last fight and I’m going to tee off on him. This time, I’m going to be a lot more prepared for his size and the weight and the distance.”
Diaz hasn’t been as vocal as McGregor but he has assured UFC betting fans that with a full camp of preparation he will perform at a much higher level. The tension is starting to build and you can rest assured that this will be one of UFC bettings’ biggest fights.
