What Happens If Conor McGregor Beats Nate Diaz At UFC 202?

UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor will get his long-awaited rematch against the man who handed him his first career UFC loss, Nate Diaz, when the two men collide in the main event of UFC 202 this August.

While McGregor dominated the majority of the two brash rivals’ first bout, the Irishman found himself on queer street after failing to respect Diaz’s power. Thus resulting in a lackluster takedown attempt on the Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt, which Diaz capitalized on to slither in for the game-ending rear-naked choke.

Given the fact that Diaz had merely two weeks to prepare for the then-surging Irishman, made his feat over McGregor all the more impressive and leaves mixed martial arts (MMA) fans pondering the possibilities of what the Stockton native could do to him on a full training camp.

Diaz trains with some of the best professional boxers in the world on a daily basis such as WBC super middleweight champion, and No. 4-ranked pound-for-pound boxer in the world, Andre Ward. To say Diaz’s stand up game is better than McGregor’s could quite arguably be an understatement, despite the fact that McGregor owns thirteen more career knockouts than his counterpart.

Many are expecting a more aggressive and dominant Diaz to take center stage against McGregor come August, given the fact that the ‘Stockton slap’ artist is on a full camp, perhaps seeing an even more pulverizing finish than we witnessed last March. However, what about the possibility that the Irishman actually gets the job done come UFC 202, what lies ahead for the today’s most captivating UFC star?

One option may be the 145-pound champ’s return to the division he has subsequently been ‘keeping hostage’ during his current tenure in the welterweight division. A pivotal contest is set to go down between former featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo and the rejuvenated No. 2-ranked Frankie Edgar at UFC 200, for the interim 145-pound strap and a possibly golden ticket to ‘red panty’ night with McGregor in a unification bout.

Given the possibility that Edgar walks away from UFC 200 twelve pounds heavier, the bout could pose to be a rather intriguing one for the Irishman. McGregor has only once been tested against the upper echelon of wrestlers in the 145-pound weight class, when he met former two-time title challenger Chad Mendes in the main event of UFC 189 last July.

Mendes took McGregor down nearly at will and bludgeoned him with razor sharp elbows, cutting him open for the first time in his Octagon career. Mendes, however, took the bout on short-notice and eventually gassed out towards the closing minutes of the second round, leading to ‘Money’s’ eventual TKO loss with seconds left in the round.

A bout against a healthy Edgar would be a huge test for McGregor, as ‘The Answer’ is one of the most talented wrestlers the 145-pound class has to offer, not to mention Edgar’s slick striking technique which is topped off with game-ending power.

The argument could be made that the Irishman would be free to jump up to the stacked lightweight division with a win over Edgar, however, a rematch with Aldo would also close off a chapter to McGregor’s roller coaster career by silencing doubters who still remain skeptical after his 13-second starching of the former Brazilian champion.

Aldo entered the initial bout with McGregor fueled by emotion, after the pair’s war of words leading up to the blockbuster featherweight showdown, which ultimately led to ‘Scarface’s’ downfall.

With a quick swing of a perfectly placed left hand, McGregor ended Aldo’s decade of dominance in a matter of thirteen seconds, shocking MMA fans across the world and leaving many scratching their heads in the process.

If McGregor could manage to repeat what he did last December in a sequel with Aldo, he would solidify himself as the legitimate top dog in the UFC’s featherweight division.

And last, but certainly not least, is the possible big money trilogy fight with Nate Diaz to determine just who the best MMA practitioner really is.

McGregor is getting an immediate rematch against Diaz after succumbing to the Californian’s superior ground game, so why not give Diaz an immediate opportunity to avenge himself with the lingering possibility of a McGregor victory come August 20th?

The short rivalry between the two trash-talking enthusiasts has been nothing short of a spectacle, and come their second meeting in ‘Sin City’, we may see the rivalry finally be laid to rest or take an unexpected turn into an ‘F-Bomb’ filled trilogy.

McGregor and Diaz will meet live in the main event of UFC 202 on pay-per-view (PPV), from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 20, 2016.