#360view: Fans strike gold with McGregor-Diaz fight

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  • Ready to rumble: McGregor and Diaz.

    Conor McGregor’s fluidity between weight classes is flowing much like his striking at the moment.

    By now, you’ll have heard the news: lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos is out and fans’ favourite Nate Diaz is in for UFC196 on March 5. And after all the indignant protestations and blind panic the MMA world descended into after hearing the Brazilian had broken his foot, what we’re now presented with is arguably a better fight.

    Yes, history is no longer on the line – McGregor was aiming to become the first two-weight world champion – but even without that context in the background we’ve ended up with a blessing in disguise.

    This new match-up is both fun and fascinating in equal measure. First of all, there’s the weight. Once it was announced McGregor’s latest title march would be delayed, weight became a major sticking point in negotiating the new bout.

    Diaz did not want to cut all the way down to the 155lbs lightweight limit and that’s natural, given the fight is only nine days away and his walk-around weight is in the high 180lbs.

    McGregor’s response? “Make it 170. Tell him to get comfortable.”

    He incredibly agreed to fight at welterweight, two weight classes above where he holds UFC gold. The divisive Irishman has his detractors but at this point, his fighting spirit is undeniable.

    For years fans were left aggrieved when Georges St-Pierre refused to go up a division and take on Anderson Silva. But in an era of weight class rigidity, McGregor transcends them.

    What we’re left with is a featherweight fighting a lightweight at welterweight. It’s difficult to know who benefits most but what the move up does do for McGregor is extend his path for the two things he craves most: belts and a boatload of cash.

    Should he win, a clash with Dos Anjos is still on the cards and it opens up the possibility of fighting for a third belt with 170lbs champ Robbie Lawler.

    To the fight itself, then. After Diaz’s unanimous decision over Michael Johnson in December, he made it very clear he wanted McGregor, delivering a memorable profanity-laced rant. In fact, fans had hoped then, that Diaz would be next in line.

    Predictably, title-holder Dos Anjos got the call and the shot at the unprecedented was enough to peek fan interest – even if the unflashy RDA himself did not.

    Eventually fans got what they wanted: two combatants cut from the same cloth. In many ways, the Dubliner has cultivated and evolved the Diaz style. He has the southpaw stance, a focus on volume and a penchant for trash-talking.

    There’s no doubt, however, that McGregor is an infinitely smoother striker but he has traditionally held the advantage in the height and reach departments. Against a long and strong Diaz, he does not.

    Take the historical context out of it and this is a better fight, it’s easily the best choice the UFC had available at this time. There may be no belt on the line but fans have still struck gold.

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