$3 million purse
The Nevada State Athletic Commission confirms McGregor’s purse for UFC 202 is $3 million, the richest disclosed purse in MMA history. McGregor became the first UFC athlete to ever receive a disclosed purse of $1 million, for UFC 196. Brock Lesnar surpassed that record at UFC 200 with a disclosed purse of $2.5 million.
Kavanagh: ‘We did it’
Coach Kavanagh posts a picture to Instagram.
We did it @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/EXOaoSs9h8
— Coach JK (@John_Kavanagh) August 21, 2016
White: An ‘epic fight’
White appears on ESPN to talk about McGregor-Diaz UFC 2o2.
It lived up to all my expectations, and exceeded it. I didn’t see that fight going five rounds, but it did. One minute it looked like Conor was gassed, and he got a second wind. Diaz got dropped a couple of times, looked like he was done, and he came back. It’s an absolute epic fight. [Conor] did what I thought he might do. He was chopping that leg. I thought he would go to the body a lot more.
On a third fight:
Well Connor has to defend his title or give it up…If I was Conor I would defend my title.
Post-fight press conference
McGregor gives his first press conference after the fight.
It was not easy. It was a war. I’m happy it went that way. I got to show my heart in there.
On Diaz helping him up at the end.
He’s a class competitor. It’s intense in the build up and everything is real. If my team saw his team then something’s going down. We’ll regroup and gather up for another battle.
Is 170 done for you?
I wanna to get my abs back. I can’t get abs at this weight. Sometimes I feel I’m a bit of a fat belly. I’m going to go down weight. I’m the 145 pound champion. It will be on my terms this time. He was way bigger than the last time. I knew I was up agaisnt it. I was thinking this might be a mistake, but I said, f-ck it, I’ll train hard, be smart, learn from our mistakes and go in. But I belive that if we do it it’ll be 155, maybe for the belt.
On the leg kicks:
Fuck leg kicks. My leg is a bitch.
On the scoring
I felt I won the fight. 3-2 was a fair opinion. I won that fight and I’m happy with it. My respect to my opponent. He’s a hell of a fighter.
Post-fight interview
Diaz gives a post-fight interview.
I thought I won, at least three rounds to two. I didn’t even think that was a question. And they gave it to him. I’m not bitter, it’s all good. I got paid…He did a lot of running in that fight. He should have got a yellow card for that type of thing. I chased him round that thing. He was scared to engage. I feel like they should have taken points for that…To top it off I was injured coming into this fight. That ain’t some excuses. I hurt my knee about a month ago I wasn’t able to train jiu-jitsu for the last month. And then about two weeks after that I was sparring boxing and I really hurt my rib. That put me out of sparring. Not to make excuses, I got that all on videoed up. He should have finished me off. If I was fighting me I’d have took me clean out…I just stayed in one spot. He was running laps around me.
On the third fight at 155:
I’ve been at 155 my whole career! When Conor’s ready to do his thing again, no rush, take your time, go on vacation, or we can do it any time.
Did you enjoy it in there?
No. Look at my face.
Confirms shin injury, no broken foot
McGregor says he did not break his foot, but that he has a shin injury.
My shin. I kicked his knee about 40 times and it’s hurting me. That’s it just my shin, everything else is good. My ankle was actually a bit banged up coming into the fight. We were practicing leg kicks in camp so it was a little bit swollen coming in but it’s the shin. I kicked his knee clean, I think it was in the first round and then I just kept kicking so I’m feeling it now, but other than that I am perfect.
Backstage interview
McGregor gives a backstage interview. On what he said to Diaz.
You’re a f-ckin’ absolute warrior. Respect. We’ll do it again.
Will trilogy be his next fight?
Probably not. The belt situation is lingering. I’ve gotta talk about what’s next. I’m speaking to new people right now. There’s a lot of options. And some might not be this sport.
About Diaz comments that he was ‘running away’:
He’s a big boy. A big volume puncher. I had to get out of there, being the beats down and settle myself. But he’ll drop too. I was on my feet the whole time. I wasn’t wobbled or nothing… Fair play to him…The class was evident in the early rounds of that fight. His size and his durability came into it in the later rounds. But I’m the better fighter, it’s as simple as that.
Arrives at after party
McGregor arrives at his UFC 202 after party at Intrigue, at the Wynn Resort, Las Vegas.
‘Congrats on grinding win’
Eubank sends congratulations to McGregor on Twitter.
Hell of a fight. Congrats to McGregor for grinding out the win over Diaz. Guess there's gota be a third now #Warriors
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) August 21, 2016
‘What a fight’
Ramsay sends his congratulations to McGregor on Twitter.
What a fight ! Congrats @TheNotoriousMMA enjoy those #BURGR's tomorrow !!! #UFC202 pic.twitter.com/D1ZcPDNQiX
— Gordon Ramsay (@GordonRamsay) August 21, 2016
‘Respect’
Pacquiao sends a message to McGregor and Diaz on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/mannypacquiao/status/767217913342242816
Party with McGregor
Horan and McIlroy are among the guests attending McGregor’s UFC 202 after party at Intrigue nightclub, in Las Vegas.
‘Absolutely inspired’ by $4 billion UFC sale
McGregor tells MMA Hour that he is inspired by the UFC sale.
I was simply over the moon for them. To see the work they’ve put in, to see what they’ve done with it, I was inspired by it. Absolutely inspired by it. What was it, the biggest sports sale in history? A little sport that they laughed at. They laughed at this sport. Everyone ridiculed this sport. This sport wasn’t even a sport. And now all of a sudden, with their guidance, it’s the biggest f*cking sports franchise in the world. So I took inspiration from that. That is motivation right there…If you’re talking the greatest of all-time in the fight business, it’s that. To be able to get a turnover like that, get in, get rich, get out like that, and build that up to what that was, man, I was blown away when I saw that, and I’m blown away that I’m even on a name-to-name basis with that. These are the people who have mentored me in this game and I’m very proud of that, and I’ll be proud of that until the day that I die. I have been surrounded by great people in this business and I continue to be surrounded by great people in this business.
You’re damn right I want a piece of that pie. Let’s not get it twisted, I like pie too. So I’m coming for some of my pie also. Like I said, I think I played a nice role in that number. What was it? It was estimated at two billion at one stage before I came along. I remember when I first started here, it was a two-billion dollar franchise. I remember hearing that much. And now, since I came on, it’s four billion. And the year before it was sold is my year, numbers-wise. I played a nice role in that too, so the number motivated me.
White: Trilogy fight isn’t happening ‘right now’
White says a third meeting between McGregor and Diaz isn’t going to happen right away.
We’re definitely not doing this a third time right now. I don’t think there’s anybody that doesn’t want to see this fight again, but Conor’s either going to go defend his title or give his title up and then we’ll figure out where to go from there. Conor has to defend his title or make a decision to give it up or whatever he wants to do. I don’t know. I gotta sit down and see what’s next.
Aldo: ‘Come back down or drop the belt’
Aldo says McGregor should defend his title at 145 pounds, or drop the belt.
Where you at @TheNotoriousMMA? Come back down and I'll see you at UFC205 or drop the belt! #hitandrun
— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) August 21, 2016
McGregor:
How long was I going back and forth with José? That must have been a two-year build-up. He pulled out, last-minute. I continued to fight someone else, then we rescheduled a two-year, ‘round the world deal with that boy. And then he stepped in and I beat him in 13 seconds. It’s hard for me to get excited about that, especially after his last performance. It was a decision. He didn’t go out and get it like I wanted him to get it. So, I don’t know.
Alvarez taunts McGregor, Diaz
Alvarez taunts McGregor and Diaz on Twitter.
Better keep that weak shit away from the lightweight division , You both got work to do @TheNotoriousMMA @NateDiaz209 #ufc #thnq #comeCMe
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) August 21, 2016
Khan: ‘We need to talk’
Khan says he wants to talk to McGregor, possibly about an upcoming bout.
Amazing fight @TheNotoriousMMA Showed true heart/balls and guts. Well done, have a good rest. See you soon. Call me, we need to talk 😉
— Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) August 21, 2016
Attends pool party
McGregor attends his pool party at the Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas. Wearing sandals, it’s clear his foot is not injured.
Kavanagh: No leg injury
Coach Kavanagh confirms to MMA Hour that McGregor did not injure his foot or leg during his fight with Diaz. McGregor landed 40 kicks to the leg of Diaz throughout the 25 minutes.
It’s a bad bruise and it’s very, very painful but there’s no damage. He never mentioned it [that he was injured] but I saw. If I remember correctly, in the third round there were one or two where Nate did turn his knee out and started checking them. And the range was a little bit wrong so he was kind of slapping with the foot and caught Nate’s knee. I just remember seeing that but I knew with adrenaline and with his mindset, it wasn’t going to make a difference. His shin could be clean snapped and he wasn’t going to stop for the five rounds. We discussed it as well. He knew he was going to bang up his left leg. That was going to be the sacrifice. It was going to be a bruised leg but victorious.
White: No trilogy fight
White says he does not want McGregor to fight again Diaz again in a “trilogy” fight. Instead he wants McGregor to defend his title against interim champ Aldo. He says McGregor has two options — either fight Aldo or surrender his title to him — or cut weight to 155 and fight Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title.
The war was fun and super successful but I’m movin’ on.