Calmer heads prevail as Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz discuss rematch
Absent were the typical heated and profanity-laced exchanges that typify most meetings between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz when the UFC stars engaged in a media conference call Friday afternoon to promote their rematch at UFC 202.
Instead, a reserved McGregor spoke of intense preparations for what he called the biggest fight of his life when he tries to avenge a second-round submission loss to Diaz on Aug. 20 at T-Mobile Arena.
McGregor is the featherweight champion at 145 pounds, but lost to Diaz in March in a welterweight bout at 170.
He said he has been sparring with much bigger training partners to prepare himself for the rematch.
“The guys in my weight class crumble when I hit them,” McGregor said of the lessons he learned the first time around, when he peppered Diaz with shots for a round and a half to no avail before the tide turned.
“He weathered the storm,” said McGregor, who is living and training in Las Vegas. “I’m just gonna be a lot more prepared for a man that can stay in there with me.”
He referred to Diaz on multiple occasions as a “heavy bag with eyeballs,” but elicited no response from his opponent on the other end of the line. The closest the call came to fireworks was when Diaz was explaining his somewhat antagonistic contract negotiations with the UFC and McGregor took credit for Diaz seeking big money.
“I taught the boy well,” McGregor said with glee.
Diaz briefly objected, but the chatter quickly died down.
It was in stark contrast to promotional appearances before their first matchup, which was scheduled on less than two-week’s notice after McGregor’s original opponent, lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos, was injured.
During a news conference in Los Angeles to announce that fight, tempers flared throughout and things almost got physical on several occasions. There was also a brief skirmish at the news conference the week of the fight at the MGM Grand.
There was very little of that on Friday.
The rematch was supposed to take place on the historic UFC 200 card at T-Mobile Arena on July 9, but McGregor was pulled from the event when he told UFC officials he would not fly to Las Vegas for promotional activities two months before the fight.
He said he has used the extra time to prepare more for a fight he says is bigger than titles or money.
Not that McGregor has shied away from the spotlight. The Irish superstar insists he has reached a level where he can create headlines and control the news cycle from wherever he is in the world.
“I create my own content,” McGregor said. “I’m in control of everything that I do and that’s the way it should be.”
He made sure to take at least one shot at getting in the headlines on Friday, predicting he would finish Diaz before the third round.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.
