His fans were heartbroken, his critics were delighted but the overriding emotion following UFC 196 was one of shock.
The oddsmakers barely gave Nate Diaz a shot against Conor McGregor on Saturday night but he came out on top with a second round rear naked choke victory.
The submission was the first defeat that the Irishman suffered since signing with the UFC in 2013 and it’s difficult to remember any finish to any fight being more discussed than that of the main event last weekend.
So pervasive has talk of McGregor’s tapping out been that it even prompted a mention on WWE’s Monday Night Raw.
.@SashaBanksWWE cashes in with the #BankStatement for the victory! #RAW pic.twitter.com/jkPBgl4MDj
— WWE (@WWE) March 8, 2016
During a tag team match on Monday, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch were taking on Naomi and Tamina.
At one point during the match-up, Lynch was sent crashing into one of the ringside barricades which prompted commentator John Layfield, who was in attendance at UFC 196, to say: “it was like what happened to Conor McGregor on Saturday night.”
Wow!!!!! #UFC196 Nate Diaz! @ufc pic.twitter.com/em33KX5dvp
— John Layfield (@JCLayfield) March 6, 2016
Then after the match ended with Sasha Banks submitting Naomi, Michael Cole also made reference to Diaz’s rear naked choke victory.
“This is what happened to McGregor – tapped out!”
