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The Reason Conor McGregor Got Beat By Nate Diaz

The Reason Conor McGregor Got Beat By Nate Diaz

The Irish fighter's long-time trainer has revealed the mistake he made in preparation for Diaz fight

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

In his last octagon outing, Conor McGregor suffered his first UFC lost after succumbing to the American's superior grappling.

Following his stunning 13-second victory over Jose Aldo he was set to make history by becoming only the third fighter to win belts in two divisions until lightweight holder Rafael Dos Anjos pulled out, paving the way for a catchweight bout with Nate Diaz. What was behind the devastating loss:

Cardio? Energy inefficient? Muscle Mass?

None of the above, according to coach John Kavanagh. From his new autobiography Win or Learn via The 42, he identified how the practice of weight cutting, which wasn't involved for his UFC 196 fight, played a huge part in his preparation, saying;

"Not having to cut weight for the fight against Diaz was supposedly helpful, but in hindsight it was undoubtedly a hindrance. Cutting weight may not be much fun, but it does serve as a reminder that you're preparing for a fight. It focuses the mind and has been an enormous part of what we've been doing. Without that ritual, things were just weird. It left us all in an unusual state of mind".

The Crumlin-fighter is notorious for his weight cutting boiling his body down to the 145lbs mark, though Kavanagh reiterates that this routine effected the mindset of his star pupil.

"The routine we had established was suddenly absent. The need to cut weight gets the fighter in the zone and lets them know that a fight is on the horizon. If a person is starving, they're in survival mode. It focuses the mind and taps into the reptilian part of the brain. When Conor is cutting weight, he views his opponent as an obstacle in the way of his next meal. It's a primal thing. On the other hand, when you've eaten a good dinner, all you want to do is relax in front of the TV. The fire in your belly is replaced by food. Being stuffed isn't conducive to maintaining a competitive mindset".

Despite the bout continuing to take place at welterweight (!!), Team McGregor won't be making the same mistake despite having the luxury of competing two classes above his normal division, adding;

"No cheesecakes this time! It will be nutrition geared specifically towards performance".

McGregor and Diaz will come face-to-face for the first time since the unforgettable night on UFC 200 fight week, where the pair will be participate in a press conference for their impending clash.

UFC 202 can't come quick enough.

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Topics:ย Conor Mcgregor, UFC 202