When the fight hit the mat in the second round of their first meeting, Nate Diaz showed his Brazilian jiu-jitsu superiority over Conor McGregor.
But in the rematch, McGregor’s BJJ-specific training partner Dillon Sanis feels the Irishman will more than get the better of the ground battle.
“I feel if the fight goes to the ground he’ll dominate on the ground too,” Danis said on Episode 2 of UFC 202 Embedded.
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At UFC 196, McGregor arguably got the better of Diaz in the stand up in the first round. But in the second things changed quickly as Diaz’s length allowed him to land a couple fight-changing punches, forcing McGregor to shoot for a takedown. That signaled the beginning of the end for “The Notorious.”
Diaz attacked with a guillotine as McGregor shot in for a takedown, but he scrambled out of the position only to find himself mounted by Diaz. The only way out of trouble was to give up his back, but Diaz only needed seconds to lock in a rear naked choke for the win.
Danis feels the rounds put in on the ground during McGregor’s UFC 202 fight camp have him properly prepared for anything Diaz throws at him in the rematch.
“With Conor and me training, I think it’s going to help him a lot,” Danis said. “Nate was a straight jiu-jitsu guy and I’m a straight jiu-jitsu guy. So he’s going to feel the positions that only a straight jiu-jitsu guy would do.
“We’ve been working our asses off – especially him. There’s a reason that he is where he is. There’s no days off, every day is hard and you’re going to see that when the fight comes.”
