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UFC

Conor McGregor making big changes ahead of Nate Diaz rematch

By Damon Martin FoxSports
Published | Updated
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LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 5: Conor McGregor mocks Nate Diaz in their welterweight bout during the UFC 196 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena on March 5, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Conor McGregor knows the mistakes he made that cost him a loss when he faced Nate Diaz in March, but he's doing everything in his power to prevent that from happening again when the two superstars meet again at UFC 202 in August.

After a very successful first round in which McGregor battered Diaz with a barrage of strikes, the Irishman's conditioning failed him and it was all downhill from there.

Diaz peppered McGregor with his long reach and superior boxing before reversing a takedown attempt and tapping him out with a rear naked choke on the ground.

So ahead of the second fight, McGregor has upped all areas of his training in preparation for Diaz -- including working with a high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappling star who holds a win in competition over UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon.

Dillon Danis is a high-level grappler who is a black belt under legendary Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor Marcelo Garcia. Danis has been working with McGregor in Ireland for several days and it looks like he'll be a mainstay until the Diaz fight in August.

In addition to Danis helping McGregor with his grappling, the Irish featherweight champion has also brought in a slew of Olympic boxers to help him prepare for Diaz's aggressive striking on the feet.

One of the new sparring partners is former All-Ireland boxing champion Conor Wallace, who just so happens to be a long, lanky southpaw just like Diaz.

It's clear that McGregor is pulling out all the stops to ensure what happened against Diaz the last time won't happen again.

It also appears McGregor will do the bulk of his training in Ireland ahead of the Aug. 20 showdown with Diaz in Las Vegas. McGregor has split time between his home camp in Ireland and a makeshift camp he's cobbled together in Las Vegas for past fights.

The bout with Diaz will take place at UFC 202 inside the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as McGregor tries to avenge his only loss inside the Octagon.