Jake Shields, Nick Diaz, and Richard Perez were all in Nate’s corner for his fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 196. Check out their advice and encouragement for their fighter this past weekend.
Nate Diaz beat Conor McGregor at UFC 196. It was a remarkable upset that left the MMA world talking. Conor McGregor had tried to defy the common narrative of MMA and jump two weight classes to take on a new challenge. What he ended up with was a lesson in slap boxing and a new found respect for the 209. But it wasn’t an easy or clear fight. McGregor started strong, landing big shots, busting Nate up, before he started flagging and Nate started to rally. And all throughout Nate’s corner was giving him a constant stream of encouragement and advice. Jake Shields, and Richard Perez were all there to cheer him on.
And that corner audio was streaming live, online during the event for people with a UFC TV PPV feed. So, we at Bloody Elbow transcribed that corner audio for your reading pleasure.
Round 1
Jake Shields: [during introductions] Yeah, he’s trying to get Nate all psyched out. He ain’t gonna fall for that shit. Trying to get him to rush him.
JS: He’s got range on this motherfucker.
Yeeeah! Yeeeah!
Gotta get a sip of water, I’m fuckin’ dying.
Nerves get me in the corner, too.
[The fight begins and both parties begin to engage]
JS: Take your time, Nate! Keep that range!
Richard Perez: Keep your hands up!
JS: Hands up, Nate! Hands up! Chill… Get that guard, Nate.
Pump that jab… Pump that jab, Nate.
[as they clinch] There it is! There it is!
Keep on, keep on… There you go keep him here.
Nate, keep going. There you go.
Pump the jab. Hands up, Nate! Hands up!
Look for a shot, too. Look for a clinch again, Nate.
Keep that range! there you go! keep that range!
Keep that range. Range, Nate.
Kron Gracie: Dude – He’s gotta get in the groove
JS: There it is, keep that range. Dude – hands up, nate! Pop that jab, Nate keep those hands up.
Unknown: He ain’t doin’ nothing!
JS: look for that shot, too.
RP: He’s walking forward! He’s walking forward!
JS: Look at that shot too, Nate!
RP: He’s walking forward!
JS: Pop that jab!
RP: To the body, too! To the body!
[crosschatter]
JS: Pop that jab! There it is Nate, look for the left, now.
RP: Power left hand!
JS: Getting better with range now…
Pop him. Getting better with range, Nate.
There it is. Good Nate, you’re fighting your range, keep popping it. Look for that big left, Nate.Fire back. Got the cage. Fire back, Nate. Keep jabbing, Nate.
RP: Hands up!
JS: [Nate connects a good shot] There it is.
RP: There you go!
JS: Look for it, look for the clinch, Nate.
RP: Throw the jab!
JS: Keep popping that jab.
RP: Throw the jab, left hand!
JS: Keep the range, keep the range. There you go!
Keep your distance. Pop him with that jab when he comes, and your left hand. Eat him with your left. There it is!
RP: Light on your feet!
JS: Look for a clinch too, Nate. Look for that shot!
RP: Hey you can clinch, too!
JS: You can clinch, Nate. Don’t be afraid to clinch.
JS: There it is! Pop him! Pop him!
[claps] That’s it, Nate!
[unintelligible exchange among cornermen]
RP: To the body!
JS: Pop that left.
[Diaz catches a kick and initiates a takedown]
Take it! Take it! Finish it! Go, go, go!
[McGregor reverses position, Diaz ends up on his back]
JS: Triangle! Triangle!
[Diaz begins to set up a triangle choke]
There it is! There it is!
Move, move, move. Keep moving!
RP: [as McGregor appears to have his fingers in the fence] He’s got his finger in the cage!
[Round 1 ends]
Round 1/Round 2 Corner Break
JS: Try and catch those kicks again, Nate. Also don’t be afraid to force the clinch, pop more jabs, pop more straight lefts. Try to, try to catch those kicks, though.
RP: Nathan, how you doin’ man? Listen to me, he’s setting you up. He’s stepping, walking forward. You keep taking the jab, [unintelligible].
JS: Yeah, try to catch those kicks, throw a hard left on him too, when he’s walking forward. Don’t be afraid to grab the clinch on him again. Get him against the cage. Water! Water!
[unintelligible, cornermen leave cage]
Round 2
JS: [to another cornerman] I know, I fucked up. I was taking the stool and I was like “oh, fuck”. I’ll make sure next time.
[McGregor throws a spinning hook kick that misses]
JS: Catch those, Nate! Catch those! When he throws those, catch.
RP: Right there, Nate – he’s walking there! Right there!
JS: Pump that straight left!
[another spinning kick by McGregor]
Catch those kicks! Catch the clinch too, Nate!
RP: Come on! Step over to the left! Step over to the left!
Unknown: Jab! Jab! Jab!
RP: You got time!
JS: With your left hand, too!
[after some brief exchanges] Clinch!
RP: Throw, Nathan! Throw!
JS: Throw back, Nate! Throw back!
[both fighters engage in a clinch]
JS: Nice!
[Nate presses Conor against the cage]
RP: Knee in the leg! Knee the leg!
JS: You can drop to a takedown!
RP: Body, Nathan! Body!
JS: Fire back, Nate!
RP: Another shot to the body!
JS: Pop him. Pop him. Pump your jab, that’s it, Nate!
[Conor misses a kick] Take him down like that!
RP: You’re gonna get him! [unintelligible] You’re gonna get him!
JS: You got it, Nate!
RP: Get on him! He’s tired, Nate!
JS: He’s losing power! He’s losing power! He’s moving tired.
RP: Set it up! Now to the body! To the body!
JS: There it is, Nate! Make this ugly, make this a war!
You’re tougher than he is, Nate! You got more heart, Nate!
RP: Throw that jab!
Unknown: Throw back!
RP: Left hand, set it up!
JS: Throw back! Throw back! That’s it, baby! Stalk him down!
[Nate stuns Conor with a solid combination]
Yeah, baby! Now what’s up?! What’s up? He’s hurt! You got more heart! You got more heart, baby!
RP: Left hand! Left hand! Left hand!
JS: Heart, baby! Heart Baby! You’re willing to die, he’s not!! You will die, Nate! You’re willing to die, he’s not!
[Nate clinches with Conor, presses him against the fence]
What now? You’re done, Conor! You’re done, Conor! You’re done!
You’re done, son! You’re breaking, Conor!
RP: Knee to the leg!
JS: Take him down if you can, Nate! That’s it.
[both separate and continue to trade punches]
RP: Jab! Jab! Jab him!
[McGregor dives for a takedown]
JS: Sprawl! Sprawl! Sprawl! Choke him! Choke him!
[Diaz transitions from a headlock choke attempt to modified top side control]
JS: Finish him!
[Diaz easily glides to to mount]
JS: Punch him! Punch him! Punch him!
[McGregor rolls over, Diaz snakes his right arm around the neck]
JS: Choke! Choke! [Conor taps] Yeah, yeah, yeaaaaah!!
Yeah, motherfucker! Yeah, motherfucker! Heart, motherfucker! Heart!
Heart! Fucking heart!
[arguing with officials, who deny them entrance to the cage]
JS: Heart, motherfucker! Heart! Fucking heart – you can’t teach that!
You’re a fucking warrior, bro! Fucking HEART! Heart, motherfucker! That’s fucking heart, Nate! All heart, baby! That’s fucking heart, right there. Yeah! Fuck, yeah! That came from his heart right there, brother!
That’s Stockton shit, right there. That’s fucking no training camp, either. No training camp. He broke that little…
Has anyone ever seen Jake Shields this amped for anything before?
After that display, it would be horribly unfair to blame him. A fight that insane deserves commentary this frantic and fun. After this, listening to the corner audio is probably going to be the preferred method for any of the Skrap Pack fights, so bring on the next one.