The Conor Mcgregor was winning the first 8 minutes narrative

[John Wick]

He won Round 1 but at no point does Nate look hurt. He's cut but he never slows down. Conor on the other hand got hurt. He says he got tired, but he got hurt too lol. Those same punches are coming. You can run on the treadmill all you want like Ivan Drago but those punches are coming. It's going to end by TKO for Nate. I think Conor will show more durability, but Nate has the greater warrior spirit.

 

[Fraz]

Conor 1,2,5

 

[milenss]

Conor was winning big time up until he gassed, but on the other hand it was obvious that he's wasting too much energy trying to take Nate's head clean off.

I kind of expected the turnaround. Conor threw too many power shots and Nate absorbed them.

 

[laugh@u]

He was pretty clearly ahead, but some of his fans act like that should've been a 10-8 round or something. Nate was in the fight, and while Conor clearly won most of the exchanges, Nate was able to land a few shots of his own. At the end of round 1, and early round 2, it was clear that Nate was starting to figure out his timing and get into his groove.

 

[kammfreudenstei]

The only reason I see Nate losing is if he wants another big payday...such as a rubbermatch winkety wink

Nate demanding a rematch does not equal Conor demanding a rematch

 

[7th]

Nah, he only started to get hit because he was so exhausted that he just stood there, absorbing punishment.

He fought the same way in round 2 as he did in round 1 until he got rocked. Watch it again.

 

[moreorless87]

Come on guys, that is complete horseshit.

The full fight is up on YouTube free to watch.

I'm at the 2:00 mark and the fight is close to even if anything. Conor throws some fancy shit that Nate gets out of the way of. Nate actually has Conor pressed against the cage for some moments.

Next, Conor does land and opens up a previous cut from Nate's last fight with Johnson. Conor lands heavier punches later in the fight.

I think late first round/early 2nd round Conor does take the momentum.

Can we gtfo with the Conor dominated 8 minutes of the fight bullshit? It's ridiculous because it's a 5 round fight and it's not even true to begin with!

Thoughts? Watch the fight. It's free. You don't need to buy it with money.

The issue really I'd say is that Conors fans were reacting to the hype they'd been sold. If they were standing and exchanging like that then Conor was winning in there eyes as he had the power, the chin, ect advantage. Its like Machida fans(and judges?) thinking he was beating Shogun because they bought into the idea that as long as it was standing he was winning because a big KO was sure to be just around the corner.

 

[OldBoy91]

He fought the same way in round 2 as he did in round 1 until he got rocked. Watch it again.

He can barely lift his arms up after a certain point in round 2, before Nate started cracking him, he was gassed as fuck.

 

[tbird05]

At the end of the day, Conor won the first round 10-9. It wasn't a dominate 10-9 like most reasonable people are saying.

Conor Mcgregor would be dead in round 2 if it were being fought in a dark alley.

 

[Suga Free]

At the end of the day, Conor won the first round 10-9. It wasn't a dominate 10-9 like most reasonable people are saying.

Conor Mcgregor would be dead in round 2 if it were being fought in a dark alley.

They have rounds in dark alley fights these days?....what a time to be alive!

 

[7th]

He can barely lift his arms up after a certain point in round 2, before Nate started cracking him, he was gassed as fuck.

never happens. He attacks Nate just like in round 1. When he starts getting tagged around the 3 min mark, it takes a lot out of him, then the finish begins at 2:23. You must be remembering the fight after that point. That's not gassing, that's getting beat up.

 

[OldBoy91]

never happens. He attacks Nate just like in round 1. When he starts getting tagged around the 3 min mark, it takes a lot out of him, then the finish begins at 2:23. You must be remembering the fight after that point. That's not gassing, that's getting beat up.

You realize the fight is on YouTube yes? I know people on Sherdog see whatever they want to see but this is ridiculous.

 

[datfnguy]

The fight didn't go to the cards, it doesn't matter who was winning. I just mattered who won.

 

[flurbi**]

He was winning while Diaz was treading water to conserve his energy .

Like fighting a dead boxer and saying how great you are.

 

[accolyte1022]

First round was close......

MMA fights are not one round.

 

[Phronimos]

Conor was winning, so what. Ultimately he lost.
Chael was winning against Anderson. So what.

 

[paddy_da_pikey]

Im with TS on this - the 1st round is much much closer. McG missed a lot! Thats misconception 1 that he dominated the 1st he didnt. He may be awarded a 10-9 but it was close and Nate was in no way out classed he was well in the fight giving his own but more 'finding his feet'

Misconception 2 - Connor gassed himself in the 1st round - WRONG!! This is a paychological crutch McG is using to allow himself to delude himself that he is the better fighter skill wise but lost based on gas.
End of round 1 he is laughing, smiling with his team, chatting and talking - none of the physical displays of gassing or on the verge of having blown up - He was fine as far as cardio goes

Misconception 3 - It was the big 1-2 that changed the course of the fight, this was the straw that broke the camels back but Diaz was landing some very very stiff jabs on Connor at least 4 or 5, he had found his range, stood his ground and was more accurate. The tide was already shifting in his favor before the 1-2 landed then he opened up and it was like his wing span just became enourmous in terms of the reach with which he was throwing where as previously more conservative.

Misconception 3 - McG has poor ground game - no he doesnt have a poor ground game but a good big guy will beat a good small guy and this pretty much sums up the fight. Both are excellent fighters but 1 is 5'9" @ 168lbs the other is 6'01" @ 200lbs - thats the difference

I think this fight looks more like Diaz vs Johnson with Diaz doing the cleaner work and the shorter more explosive fighter looking for haymakers and getting desperate

 

[freakyfarley]

He can barely lift his arms up after a certain point in round 2, before Nate started cracking him, he was gassed as fuck.

He was gassed at the end of the first round. He basically gave his leg

 

[CPH]

I just watched the fight again 5 minutes ago and I agree: they were neck and neck until two big shots landed by Conor late in the 1st.

I think that the blood actually gave Nate some problems, resulting in him getting hit more than he normally would - Conor saw this and tried to capitalize but was starting to get tagged himself. And that brings us to one big problem Conor has: he lacks the discipline of a fighter as experienced as he is. He pushes for the KO so recklessly that he forgets defense and stamina management. This is the complete opposite of Nate. You can see it in that sequence where he first rocks Conor; instead of rushing in, he watches Conor then advances, carefully picking his shots.

Interesting detail for anyone involved in the low kick discussions that have been going on in anticipation for the rematch: Nate came into the first fight fully expecting Conor to attack his lead leg and actually checked most of them, including the first one Conor threw as soon as they made contact about 8 seconds in:

The stats have Conor landing 6 in the first round and 7 total, but based on what I saw, only 2 were real connections: one roundhouse and that one oblique kick that buckled Nate's leg. And this is the thing about oblique kicks: they need to be very accurate to actually do damage and can easily be shut down with lateral movement or in the way that Nate did it: by angling the knee towards the incoming kick and simply bending and/or lifting the leg slightly. The roundhouse is more difficult to check and unfortunately for McGregor, he doesn't have a very good one.

 

[Soul On Ice]

Why did this thread need to be made? The narrative of Conor having no success is pushed just as much (maybe more) around here.