Conor McGregor: Head trainer John Kavanagh reveals reason for defeat against Nate Diaz at UFC 196

The Crumlin fighter tapped out of his welterweight bout against Nick Diaz at UFC 196

Mark Critchley
Monday 14 March 2016 16:17 GMT
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Conor McGregor walks out of the Octagon following his defeat to Nick Diaz
Conor McGregor walks out of the Octagon following his defeat to Nick Diaz

Conor McGregor’s head trainer John Kavanagh has revealed why he believes his man lost against Nate Diaz at UFC 196.

The 27-year-old mixed martial artist tapped out of his welterweight bout against his unfancied opponent when caught in a rear-naked choke during the fight’s second round.

McGregor holds the UFC’s featherweight belt and usually fights opponents at 145lbs but, in order to avoid the cut in weight, elected to face Diaz at 170lbs.

Many commentators attributed his defeat to this step-up in weight, but Kavanagh believes, more than anything else, the Crumlin fighter punched himself out.

"Yeah, a lot of things were working," he told The MMA Hour. "If there was something to critique or take away from that fight, I think Conor almost immediately said it much better than I'm able to say, is that he was inefficient with his job and Nate was efficient. And that's what I was trying to get across, and that's what we saw happening.

“I kind of think it was really exhaustion at this stage. He looked really, really tired.

&#13; <p>John Kavanagh, Conor McGregor's trainer</p>&#13;

“He kind of blew himself a little bit trying to take his head off with every single left hand rather than just landing it. Maybe I could have stole his own phrase and told him to keep it flowing. I think there was a good left cross, and it kind of stumbled Conor back.

“I kind of think it was really exhaustion at this stage. He looked really, really tired. At that stage it was clear that he was very, very tired. And if there's one thing you're never going to say about a Diaz brother is that he gets tired. He just has that incredible ability to just keep going and keep pushing themselves.

“They [Nate and Nick, Nate’s brother] are phenomenal athletes, the two of them. So I thought that tiredness and him being pushed back was when I was worried."

McGregor has also confirmed that he would like to face Diaz again in a re-match.

“I’m ready to go again,” he told TMZ. “I had a great time. It was a good fight, a hell of a fight. I look forward to coming back with a vengeance."

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