Conor McGregor counts a fast-spinning, brilliant mind and a hot temper that have helped make the Irishman the UFC’s most popular fighter.
The last time McGregor was in the octagon, though, he tapped out in the second round after a rear naked chokehold by Nate Diaz.
McGregor, the UFC featherweight champion, had moved up a massive 25 pounds in March to fight Diaz, a replacement opponent, on less than two weeks’ notice.
Within minutes of his upset loss, McGregor wanted a rematch with Diaz.
Was that McGregor’s temper — or his business acumen talking? McGregor said: “I’m sure it’s a little bit of both.”
The McGregor-Diaz pay-per-view rematch is Saturday night in UFC 202 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“If you look at the history of the fight game, especially in this new era, it’s full of stars cherry picking their opponents,” McGregor told The Times. “When they hold a position of power, when they get a name, all of a sudden they pick weaker opponents. They look down their division. Nobody looks up a division. Nobody looks at true challenges.
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Conor McGregor, left, and Nate Diaz exchange punches during their welterweight fight at UFC 196 on March 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )
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Nate Diaz takes down Conor McGregor during their non-title welterweight bout at UFC 196 in Las Vegas on March 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )
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Nate Diaz grapples with Conor McGregor during their welterweight bout at UFC 196.
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Nate Diaz takes down Conor McGregor during their UFC 196 fight on Saturday night.
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Nate Diaz celebrates his win over Conor McGregor at UFC 196 on March 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Nate Diaz celebrates his win over Conor McGregor after their non-title welterweight fight at UFC 196.
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Miesha Tate goes for a single-leg takedown against Holly Holm during their women’s bantamweight title bout at UFC 196.
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Holly Holm, bottom, tries to fend off Miesha Tate during their women’s bantamweight title fight at UFC 196.
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Holly Holm lands a big left against Miesha Tate during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight championship fight.
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Holly Holm, left, and Miesha Tate trade kicks during their women’s bantamweight title fight at UFC 196 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
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Miesha Tate takes down Holly Holm during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight title fight. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Miesha Tate sinks the chokehold on Holly Holm that led to a submission in the fifth round of their women’s bantamweight championship fight at UFC 196 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
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Miesha Tate springs to her feet after defeating Holly Holm by submission in the women’s bantamweight championship fight at UFC 196.
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Miesha Tate celebrates after defeating Holly Holm at UFC 196 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
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Gian Villante, left, tries to block a kick by Ilir Latifi during their bout at UFC 196.
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Gian Villante, left, and Ilir Latifi grapple during their light-heavyweight fight at UFC 196.
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Gian Villante, left, tries to prevent a takedown by Ilir Latifi during their light-heavyweight fight at UFC 196.
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Valentina Shevchenko tries to land a knee against Amanda Nunes during their women’s bantamweight fight at UFC 196.
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Valentina Shevchenko, left, sends Amanda Nunes reeling during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight bout.
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Valentina Shevchenko, left, tries to fend off the attack by Amanda Nunes in a women’s bantamweight bout at UFC 196.
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Amanda Nunes has the upper hand during her UFC 196 bout against Valentina Shevchenko.
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Amanda Nunes, left, has a kick blocked by Valentina Shevchenko during their UFC 196 women’s bantamweight fight.
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Valentina Shevchenko, right, lands a right during her UFC 196 bout against Amanda Nunes.
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Valentina Shevchenko, bloody face and all, is ready for more action during her UFC 196 women’s bantamweight fight against Amanda Nunes.
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Valentina Shevchenko was able to fend off the attacks by Amanda Nunes to win the women’s bantamweight bout by unanimous decision at UFC 196.
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Corey Anderson, left, lands an overhand right against Tom Lawlor during UFC 196.
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Corey Anderson works from the top against Tom Lawlor during their light-heavyweight bout at UFC 196.
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Corey Anderson, left, and Tom Lawlor trade blows during their light-heavyweight bout at UFC 196.
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Corey Anderson takes down Tom Lawlor during their light-heavyweight fight at UFC 196.
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Corey Anderson completes a takedown agianst Tom Lawlor during their UFC 196 fight.
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Corey Anderson raises his arms after defeating Tom Lawlor in a light-heavyweight bout at UFC 196.
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Brandon Thatch punches Siyar Bahadurzada during their bout at UFC 196.
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Brandon Thatch lands a kick against Siyar Bahadurzada during their UFC 196 bout.
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Siyar Bahadurzada celebrates after defeating Brandon Thatch during UFC 196.
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Vitor Miranda kicks Marcelo Guimaraes during their UFC 196 bout.
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Marcelo Guimaraes, left, and Vitor Miranda trade punches in the middle of the octagon during their UFC 196 bout.
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Nordine Taleb celebrates after defeating Erick Silva at UFC 196 on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
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Darren Elkins (top) slams Chas Skelly to the canvas during their UFC 196 bout on Saturday night.
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Diego Sanchez, left, follows through after punching Jim Miller during their bout at UFC 196.
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Jim Miller lands a kick against Diego Sanchez during their UFC 196 bout in Las Vegas.
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Julian Erosa attempts a kick against Teruto Ishihara during their bout at UFC 196.
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Teruto Ishihara sends Julian Erosa to the canvas before winning by a technical knockout in the second round of their UFC 196 bout.
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Jason Saggo celebrates after defeating Justin Salas at UFC 196.
(Rey Del Rio / Getty Images) “Then, once in a blue moon, when that true challenge can’t be denied, like the [Floyd] Mayweather-[Manny] Pacquiao situation, it happens.
“But when you look at this Canelo [Alvarez] situation,” who surrendered his middleweight belt to fight anonymous English 154-pound champion Liam Smith instead of unbeaten middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, and Golovkin turning around to fight 147-pound champion Kell Brook for his next opponent, “it’s an era of cherry picking,” McGregor said.
“It’s not like that with me. I’m here to challenge myself. I’m training to go up two divisions, and it’s going to be a great fight,” he said.
McGregor (19-3) smacked Diaz (19-10) with powerful shots in the first round in March, blows McGregor believes would’ve knocked out any 145-pound featherweight. But when McGregor landed them against the 170-pound welterweight, Diaz, it proved disastrous.
McGregor soon succumbed to Diaz’s bigger punches in the second round.
He was classy in his praise of Diaz in the post-fight news conference, then met with then-UFC chairman Lorenzo Fertitta and President Dana White that night to request a rematch that was granted.
However, McGregor blew off a summer news conference in favor of training in Europe, postponing the rematch from July 9.
The Irishman said he needed to properly prepare for a fight he believes is the most attractive one possible for fans.
“I feel like I didn’t prove what I know I can [do] and I want an opportunity to correct that error,” McGregor said. “What other fight made sense [for me] at that current time?
“I had knocked out the previous champion [Brazil’s Jose Aldo] in [13] seconds, and the guy with the lightweight belt [Rafael dos Anjos] didn’t show up to fight me, he had [wimped] out. What else was I going to do?”
lance.pugmire@latimes.com
Twitter: @latimespugmire
