Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz fought twice in five months in 2016, and the two fights made both men stars on a new level. Diaz, taking the first fight on 11 days' notice at welterweight, submitted McGregor in the second round of UFC 196. McGregor won a war of a rematch at UFC 202 by majority decision.
It is 1–1, and the trilogy fight has been talked about ever since. This page covers both fights round by round, the press conferences that turned it into a feud, a statistical comparison and our verdict on who won the rivalry.
Head-to-head record
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz: 1–1. Every big-event meeting between the two, oldest first.
| # | Date | Event | Venue | Match | Result | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 5, 2016 | UFC 196 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas | Welterweight (170 lb) | Nate Diaz won | Rear-naked choke, R2 4:12 |
| 2 | Aug 20, 2016 | UFC 202 | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas | Welterweight (170 lb) | Conor McGregor won | Majority decision (48–47, 47–47, 48–47) |
Every match: our commentary
UFC 196 · Mar 5, 2016
McGregor, the featherweight champion, had been due to face lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, who withdrew injured. Diaz stepped in at 170 pounds. McGregor won the first round with his left hand and opened a cut over Diaz's eye. In the second, Diaz hurt McGregor with a left, McGregor shot for a takedown out of desperation, and Diaz took his back and finished the rear-naked choke.
UFC 202 · Aug 20, 2016
McGregor changed his approach: he paced himself, attacked Diaz's lead leg with low kicks and knocked him down three times in the first two rounds. Diaz came back in the third with volume punching and taunts as McGregor tired. Over five rounds McGregor did just enough to win two cards, with the third scored a draw.
The backstory
The insults started the moment Diaz was announced, with Diaz mocking McGregor's lifestyle and McGregor dismissing Diaz as a step-in. After UFC 196, McGregor insisted on an immediate rematch at the same weight rather than return to featherweight.
The UFC 202 build peaked at a press conference on August 17, 2016, when Diaz walked out and both camps threw water bottles and cans across the room. The Nevada commission later fined both men and ordered community service.
A trilogy was discussed repeatedly but never happened. Diaz left the UFC in 2022 and boxed Jake Paul in 2023; McGregor went on to box Floyd Mayweather and fight Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Tale of the tape
| Conor McGregor | Nate Diaz | |
|---|---|---|
| Height / reach | 5 ft 9 in · 74 in | 6 ft 0 in · 76 in |
| Stance | Southpaw | Southpaw |
| Base | Boxing, karate-style movement | Boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt |
| UFC titles | Featherweight and lightweight champion | TUF 5 winner |
| Record after UFC 202 | 20–3 | 20–11 |
By the numbers
| Head-to-head stat | Conor McGregor | Nate Diaz |
|---|---|---|
| Wins vs. each other | 1 | 1 |
| Knockdowns scored in the series | 3 (all at UFC 202) | 0 recorded knockdowns |
| Finishes | 0 | 1 (UFC 196 submission) |
How fans and critics reacted
UFC 196 was one of the biggest upsets of the decade and made Diaz a mainstream star overnight. UFC 202 was widely praised as one of the best fights of 2016, and the bottle-throwing press conference became a defining image of the McGregor era.
Fans and both fighters have argued ever since about who won the rivalry, and the demand for a third fight never disappeared.
Our take
It is genuinely even. Diaz has the finish, McGregor has the win over five rounds at a weight neither man belonged at. We give a narrow edge to Diaz because his win was a stoppage on 11 days' notice and McGregor's needed every minute of 25.
Our view: these two fights did more for both men's careers than any title win.
Our verdict: Nate Diaz.
FAQ
Who won McGregor vs. Diaz 1?
Nate Diaz, by rear-naked choke in the second round at UFC 196 on March 5, 2016.
Who won McGregor vs. Diaz 2?
Conor McGregor, by majority decision at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016.
Will McGregor and Diaz fight a third time?
It has been discussed for years but never booked. Diaz left the UFC in 2022.
More rivalries
Sources: Wikipedia: UFC 196 · Wikipedia: UFC 202. Facts verified Oct 18, 2026.