Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz engaged in a bloody, tense five-round clash Saturday night at UFC 202 in Las Vegas, and the Notorious exacted revenge with a majority-decision victory that could set up the final chapter of an epic trilogy.
Conor McGregor defeats Nate Diaz via majority decision #UFC202 pic.twitter.com/KPMg2Hw5Mv
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 21, 2016
Judges scored the fight 48-47, 48-47, 47-47 in favor of McGregor, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole, and the tightly contested bout generated buzz across social media.
HBO's Bill Simmons was among those who marveled at the resilience both fighters flashed throughout the grueling affair:
What a battle. Wow. I'm in awe of that fight. Two different spots where each guy looked completely done. Give us a trilogy.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) August 21, 2016
CBS Sports' Gary Parrish was also floored by the efforts McGregor and Diaz put forth in the instant classic:
I’ve been watching boxing my entire life. I prefer boxing. I love boxing. But this is probably the best fight I’ve ever seen.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) August 21, 2016
Elsewhere, ESPN.com's Pablo Torre characterized the raw physicality that enveloped the fight with a fitting point:
Conor McGregor breaking his foot from kicking Nate Diaz so much would be an ideal summary of this fight
— Pablo S. Torre (@PabloTorre) August 21, 2016
Here's a look at the best of the rest:
Nate Diaz got punched so much he looks like Nick Diaz.
— David Shoemaker (@DavidShoemaker) August 21, 2016
So did Steve Harvey give them the card again? #UFC202
— Amanda Wood (@AmandaWoodUF) August 21, 2016
The winner of that fight is most definitely going to be the ice bath each fighter gets into after that. #UFC202
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) August 21, 2016
i feel like i gotta ice my own leg after that fight goddamn
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) August 21, 2016
I'm scared of Nate Diaz
— Trevor Booker (@35_Fitz) August 21, 2016
Chapter 3, anyone? #trilogy pic.twitter.com/O7dNNRZMI3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 21, 2016
Given the way things unfolded Saturday night, a rubber match makes loads of sense.
Not only would it generate plenty of revenue and interest after the second bout went the distance following Diaz's shocking upset in the first meeting, but it would also give both men a chance to leave their marks on the sport and cement themselves as legends.
And in his post-fight comments, Diaz was already campaigning for another spin with McGregor in the Octagon.
"He should have finished me off," Diaz said, per MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani. "I want No. 3."
