UFC 189 · 11 Jul 2015 · Full fight

McGregor vs. Mendes — Full Fight

Conor McGregor by KO/TKO · Round 2

Fight breakdown

0:39Round 1

McGregor opened with kicks and pressure, but Mendes quickly made the fight about level changes. Mendes landed takedowns, worked from top position and threatened late, while McGregor kept investing in body kicks and strikes every time space returned. The round established the tradeoff: Mendes owned the wrestling minutes, but McGregor was making him spend energy to keep them.

5:47Round 2

Mendes again got McGregor down and controlled enough of the round to make the upset feel live. The turning point came when Mendes attacked a guillotine instead of holding position; McGregor escaped, stood and immediately forced the fight back to striking range. With Mendes tiring, McGregor's left hand took over and the late flurry produced the 4:57 stoppage.