You know he does, but he has a part to play. Thinking that Nate actually cares about wins and losses or what people think is odd.
The only thing that matters to him at this point, and since the "needle mover" comment, is getting paid and getting out.
Don't take my word for it. Other fighters, from Rousey to Edgar, Rashad, and Cruz, have described him as some sort of idiot savant. Socially the guy's pretty much handicapped by his anxiety and speech impediment, but that doesn't mean he's a moron.
He just can't speak very well, and rather than work on it, he just plays it up, because haters gonna hate. He understands that this is all a game, and he's trying to play it to his advantage. The biggest equalizer is that now he can truly say he doesn't give a fuck if he ever fights again, and it is believable.
He might look at it or try to make it seem like he was playing Conor, but it was obviously mutually beneficial.
Nate played the underdog in the first fight and won it. Conor played the redemption angle pretty well.
If they want, a third fight, once again outside of Conor's division, will prove to have little risk for either fighter.
