Conor McGregor is going to have a shot of redemption when he faces off against Nate Diaz at UFC 202, but many have wondered why he insisted the fight take place at 170 pounds.
McGregor said during a recent press conference that after losing at that weight before, this was the only way to go.
"What kind of fighter would I be if I lost a contest at a specific weight against a specific individual and then I said, ‘Well, you got me this time, cut a load of weight and I'll get you at that weight?'" McGregor said. "It makes sense for me to have the contest at 170 to right the wrong. To leave no questions. This is the one. This is where I put everything to rest."
The first fight featured Diaz replacing an injured Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196 on less than two week's notice.
Despite having little time to promote the fight, the two fighters hyped up the fight in spectacular fashion. The pay-per-view finished with an estimated 1.5 million buys, which would be second best in the UFC.
The two were scheduled to fight at UFC 200, but was called off after McGregor's abrupt "retirement" forced UFC to rebook the main event of the much anticipated event.
"Real fighters respect real fighters," McGregor said. "I respect that he held out for me as well. But at the same time, he played the safe option. He didn't take what's known in the game as a McGregor risk. He was offered welterweight belts, he turned them down. He was offered lightweight belts, he turned them down. He played what was in his mind a safer option. I respect that he did it. It was a smart move on his behalf. Why not? But not everyone is willing to take the risks that I am willing to take."
Diaz and McGregor will square off at UFC 202 August 20 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
By Carlos Toro
