Contributor: Nolan Howell
Nate Diaz earned perhaps the highest-profile victory in his career in a roundabout way Saturday night at UFC 196, defeating featherweight king Conor McGregor at welterweight. Diaz, who has been streaky at lightweight until recently getting back on track, got a chance to have his moment in the main event of a UFC pay-per-view. Diaz seized the opportunity and the choke in the second round to tap out a man who was potentially set to claim two UFC belts at the same time.
McGregor claims the loss doesn’t hurt him too badly as he stepped up two weight classes, and that has proven to be somewhat true. So, how then does Diaz have such a meaningful win?
Firstly, McGregor’s undersell on the loss is a testament to his promotional skill, but it disregards that this fight is essentially two lightweights not draining themselves with a weight cut. These fights are few and far between, with the only that comes to mind being the same situation between KJ Noons and Sam Stout. Diaz just sent the number one contender and a pound-for-pound great packing back to defend his 145 lbs. title and that is impressive at any level, much less one with a lot less disparity in size than previously thought.
Additionally, the little Diaz brother got a spotlight that was usually reserved for older brother Nick and he took advantage of it as only the brothers Diaz could. Nate and McGregor stood toe-to-toe in the cage, but also in a battle of fucks give in the relatively short time to sell the fight. Middle fingers, insults, and shoves were shared and Nate 
proved his value outside of the cage to the sport of MMA. Nate got out of the giant Nick shadow in a major way with some headline quotes and a major upset. The younger Diaz finally had his moment to stand in the spotlight in an organization that he was constantly at odds with.
Still, no one takes a hit after this fight.
Even when the UFC golden goose loses, he wins.
Divisiveness should step aside for the fact that McGregor has lived up to his word as a fighting champion. Where fighters like Jon Jones (ignoring whether rightfully or wrongly) avoided short-notice opponents, McGregor steps up. Where fighters like Ronda Rousey fret over weight classes in potential “superfights,” McGregor tips the scale to wherever it needs to be. McGregor was supposed to be anointed all-timer status by taking the lightweight belt from Rafael dos Anjos, but he got served chicken shit when the 155 lbs. champion dropped out and a fight with Nate Diaz materialized. Still, with much more to lose than win, McGregor made it into chicken salad and gained reverence by playing to the most romanticized trope in the fight game: anywhere, anytime. Post-fight, McGregor has surprised fans further with an amount of grace (save some shots at Brazilian champions) in defeat no one would have expected. McGregor managed to win the battle surrounding the fight to make it less competition and more spectacle of a champion fighting way out of weight against an elite contender.
McGregor turned a no-win situation where greater fighters before him would have folded in the press surrounding the fight into a no-lose advertisement for a fighter who managed to keep his gold despite losing.
Though his wild supporters and motormouth may turn many fight fans off, “Mystic Mac” simply has the Midas touch that finally keeps a UFC goose golden clad, win or lose.
-Nolan can be reached at [email protected].
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