2016 Was a truly legendary year for Conor. After a submission loss to Nate Diaz on March 5, much of the world dismissed Conor’s capability to transcend the 145 pound division of the UFC. That said, Conor demanded the fight be run back, even specifying the weight class for the rematch REMAIN at 170 pounds. In the second fight with Nate on August 20 Conor displayed a new level of discipline with shot selection and used precise boxing to drop Nate on three separate exchanges. He also deployed heavy low kicks with great success. Come round 3 however, Conor began to fatigue and slow down just like the fight in March. This time he managed to survive. After losing the Third stuck against the cage, McGregor got a second wind and won the Fourth. After a grueling fifth round that went to Nate one Judge felt they tied while the remaining two gave the decision to Conor. With this performance even the greatest of skeptics could concede Conor showed extreme heart to survive the third and redeem his loss months before. After headlining the most successful event in UFC history Conor had the attention of the Combat World and far beyond. He would face Eddie Alvarez in the UFC’s first event in NY, at MSG. As per usual, experts found Eddie to be a terrible match up for Conor. After UFC 202 one could make the argument Conor had passed the monumental test in his journey as a Martial Artist to this date. The Self Belief and courage to step back in a cage with Nate and survive the same pressure that finished him months before was still overlooked by many Conor haters. But when Conor stepped in the ring November 12 his confidence seemed to never have been higher. He went on to dismantle Eddie with one of the highest level displays of striking ever witnessed in a cage. This Propelled his Stardom beyond any sport or rule-set. Conor called out Floyd while conducting his own Press conference to address the media as the first fighter to hold two UFC belts simultaneously. While he went on to lose to Mayweather in 2017, the self promotion and his heroic acts in 2016 secured Conor the fight with Floyd that has since compounded in to over 100 million dollars and Combat Sports immortality.
