Nate Diaz became the first UFC fighter to take out Conor McGregor on Saturday night. (Getty)
NOTE: If you want to watch a replay of the two unbelievable main event fights at UFC 196, you can do so via UFC.tv by clicking here.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz Results
Nate Diaz shocked the UFC world with a second-round submission of Conor McGregor on Saturday night. Here’s a look at the spectacular finish:
Nate Diaz shocks the world and submits Conor McGregor!!!! #UFC196
Many were hoping for a thrilling main event in Las Vegas, and they got exactly what they were wishing for.
There was relentless action from the start, as McGregor landed numerous significant strikes through the first round-and-a-half and cut Diaz above his right eye:
#TheNotorious returns the favor!!! #UFC196 t.co/MeL2jsUZjM
But Diaz, by far the biggest opponent McGregor has faced, didn’t go down. He withstood the early barrage and began connecting with a bunch of flurries that hurt McGregor. The featherweight champ, seeking some reprieve with the end of the second round on the horizon, went to the ground, but Diaz quickly got control and was able to force McGregor to tap out.
The shocking finish, unsurprisingly, was met with reaction from all over the rest of the sports world:
2 incredible fights tonight! Great night @danawhite, cannot wait for the next ppv #UFC196
Okay! I’m in shock!!! @NateDiaz209 over @TheNotoriousMMA It’s a bloody mess out there!!! What a gutsy fight! It is a crazy night! #UFC196
What a crazy night!!!!!!!
While many weren’t expecting that finish, Diaz had a different reaction (NSFW language):
“I’m not surprised…” – @NateDiaz209 t.co/yyLC2YATGT
The unique nature of the circumstances behind this fight means you can take it with a significantly sized grain of salt, but that shouldn’t take anything away from Diaz.
Looking for the finest tattoo artist in South Florida. All hail Nate Diaz. Honored to pay tribute to the Diaz bros. & an all-time great win.
Nate Diaz now has nine UFC wins by submission since 2000, most by any fighter in that span. #UFC196
The Stockton native put forth a truly spectacular performance, earning a massive win and springboarding his career to new heights. This is a moment that won’t soon be forgotten in the MMA world.
Read more about the results of this fight in Spanish at AhoraMismo.com:
McGregor vs. Diaz Preview
When lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos had to pull out of the main event with a broken foot, it was undoubtedly disappointing. But when Diaz was named as the replacement for McGregor’s opponent, that disappointment was mostly quelled.
Sure, there’s no longer a title on the line, but while this fight is mostly meaningless when it comes to the rankings, it should still be thoroughly entertaining.
McGregor has massive knockout power, but Diaz is a physical fighter who is bigger than “The Notorious'” other opponents. MacGregor has five-straight Performance of the Night bonuses, while Diaz has six Fight of the Night, four Submission of the Night and one Knockout of the Night awards.
Not only are both incredibly good at selling a fight–we’ve seen that with a wild array of trash talk and scuffles over the last week–but both are good at living up to the hype.
It’s unique. It’s different. And it’s going to be fun.