Conor McGregor’s fight camp for UFC 200 officially got underway this week.
But, in reality, ‘The Notorious’ has been preparing for a rematch with Nate Diaz since he returned to the dressing room on March 5.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD3fnXqgqEP/?taken-by=coach_kavanagh
UFC 196 saw the first time in his UFC career that one of his bouts ended without McGregor’s hand being raised and the UFC featherweight champion has been consumed with the defeat ever since.
After a promising first round in the main event of UFC 196, McGregor came unstuck in the second as Diaz found his rhythm on the feet before sinking in a rear naked choke and drawing the tap with fifty seconds remaining in the round.
IT'S ALL OVER!!!
Diaz submits @TheNotoriousMMA in Round 2! #UFC196 https://t.co/CAFnZzxXvq— eir Sport (@eirSport) March 6, 2016
And for those who were wondering what took so long for the Irishman to appear for the post-fight press conference in the wake of the loss, McGregor’s manager has cleared up what was responsible for the delay.
According to Audie Attar, president of Paradigm Sports Management, McGregor immediately got on his smart phone when he returned to the dressing room and watched the submission on loop with head coach John Kavanagh, roughly 20 times as per MMA Fighting’s Marc Raimondi.
“Obsessed,” Attar said. “Obsessed with it.”
Attar also explained what motivated his client to accept a rematch with Diaz, which will act as main event of UFC 200 this July, at welterweight by claiming that McGregor simply wants to recreate the exact conditions under which he was beaten at UFC 196 so there can be no excuses.
“It happens to be the guy who beat him. He wants to put the same canvas up and paint a different picture for the audience to watch. And that’s what it’s all about, really.”
