UFC 202 main event result: Conor McGregor beats Nate Diaz in an instant classic

Steve Marcus/Getty Images

Conor McGregor wanted a rematch with Nate Diaz, even had it at the same weight class (welterweight) as he was when he lost to Diaz by rear-naked choke at UFC 196. Would things change in the main event of UFC 202 at the T-Mobile Arena? Or would Diaz make it 2-for-2 against the UFC’s reigning featherweight champion? Here’s the play-by-play of what happened.

A raucous crowd was on hand and cheering loudly. Two leg kicks by McGregor to open things up. Diaz answers with a kick of his own. Another leg kick. Diaz jabs to the body. Left hand scores for McGregor. Another outside leg kick by Conor. Diaz jabs to the body again. Nate kicks the right thigh of McGregor. Good left by McGregor may have wobbled Diaz. Down goes Diaz on a straight left punch. He’s back to his feet. Leg kick by Diaz. McGregor is short on the uppercut. Ole ole chants ring around T-Mobile Arena at the halfway mark of round 1. Diaz struggling with the leg kicks of McGregor. Good left by Conor and then another leg kick. Nice body shot and upstairs shot by Diaz. They stard trading. Here we go! Diaz short on the right hook. McGregor digs to the body and then goes upstairs. Checked leg kick for a change. Another hard leg kick by McGregor. Jab by Conor and a leg kick again. Conor with a leg kick-heavy approach to round 1. Good jab by Diaz. Ten seconds left in the round and it’s clearly one for McGregor as they swing to the horn.

Diaz checks the first leg kick to start round 2. But not the second. Sneaky right hook by Diaz. Left hand drops Diaz. He’s motioning Nate to get back to his feet. Another left hand drops Diaz. He’s in big trouble. Back to his feet he goes. Jab to the body by McGregor. Diaz’s movement is hampered with the leg kicks. Diaz jabs successfully. Chopping leg kick once again. Diaz with a couple of good shots. McGregor overreaches with the left. Diaz gets hit with an uppercut. Slick right hand by McGregor. Nice jab by Diaz but he’s not landing enough combinations. Diaz is sliding on that right leg. McGregor sticks out the jab. Leg kick by McGregor and another one. Conor ducks away from a Diaz punch but then gets lipped with a jab. Right hand partially lands for Diaz, who ups the tempo. Diaz with a knee in the clinch. Body shot by McGregor. Conor gets tagged with a right and he staggers! McGregor clinching and Diaz has him in trouble. Knee by McGregor. 25 seconds left! Diaz misses on a combination but he has the momentum heading into the 3rd round.

Elbow by McGregor is blocked by Diaz to start the 3rd. Quick fire jab by Diaz. Jab by Diaz may have stumbled Conor a bit. Diaz is taunting him and pointing at him! They’re in the clinch and McGregor is spun against the cage. DIAZ! DIAZ! is the chant. McGregor slaps Diaz’s ear. Elbow by Nate and then he gets Stockton Slapped. Diaz eats a leg kick and then a left hand backs Diaz up. Right to the body by McGregor. Diaz eats a left and plays to the crowd. Diaz goes for a takedown but McGregor stuffs it. He drops down for a double. Short elbow by McGregor! A lot of clinch battling. McGregor resets as Diaz taunts. Leg kick and another by McGregor. Pushing right hand by Conor. His punches might be losing steam. Hard leg kick but Diaz counters with a right. Head kick by Diaz! 1-2 by Diaz. This is a remarkable fight. Big combo has Conor hurt! McGregor is hurt against the fence. Still clinching with 10 seconds left but Conor is hurt badly and only BARELY survives the round!

Both men with good shots to open up round 4. Leg kick by Conor for the umpteenth time. Diaz jabs Conor’s knee. Conor jabs Diaz’s head. Two jabs in quick succession by Nate. More DIAZ! DIAZ! chants. Diaz gets cracked with a jab and then a body kick. There is blood pouring over and round Diaz’s right eye. More leg kicks. Nate may be limping. Ripping body shot by Conor! Good combination by McGregor. Conor goes for an elbow but misses and Diaz goes for the double! Conor stuffs it, but only just. Knees to the body and body punching combos by Diaz. This is a back-and-forth classic. Short left by Conor. Diaz answers back! They’re still in the clinch working away. Knee to the body by Diaz. Conor turns Nate’s back to the fence with 2 minutes left. McGregor attacks and tags Diaz. Left hand over the top by Diaz! Now Diaz gets countered and eats a leg kick. More punches to the body by Conor! Left hand by Conor. This is absolutely insane. Two body shots by Conor. Now he goes up top. Good movement and a counterleft by Conor! Beautiful jab by Diaz. McGregor fires an overhand left. Another leg kick by McGregor. Diaz slips on a head kick to end the round.

McGregor with a right hook. Diaz with a jab. Conor hits back with the left and throws a flying knee. Diaz searching for the takedown. It’s not happening. Diaz going for the trip and can’t get it! Diaz aggressively jabbing. McGregor is exhausted and looking up at the clock. Punches are labored. Leg kick by McGregor as usual. Diaz backs Conor to the fence and lands a clinch uppercut and drops for the takedown again! Deep on a double leg but McGregor won’t go down. Quality combination by Diaz. McGregor has just been flipped off. by Diaz, who must think he’s time wasting. Great combination by McGregor. Short punches on the inside are sneaking through. Good shot by Nate coming forward. Dirty boxing and now a big right hand and a hard elbow! Diaz finishing strongly with 2 minutes left. Another takedown attempt by Diaz is thwarted. This drama is on a knife-edge. Diaz with more knees to the body. Conor evades an elbow and turns Diaz around. Conor takes Nate down briefly and then hits him with an elbow to the side of the head. Thirty seconds left! More clinch striking. HUGE takedown by Diaz with 5 seconds left and ground-and-pound will end this absolute classic.

Official result: Conor McGregor def. Nate Diaz via majority decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-47)