Time and time again jiu-jitsu has proved itself to be an essential practice for defending yourself. Not only in street altercations but even against the most skilled fighters in the world. After Conor McGregor defeated Jose Aldo in devastating fashion to win the Featherweight title last year it seemed as if there was nothing to stop his total UFC takeover. He enlisted the polarizing movement coach Ido Portal to help and began incorporating Capoeira and high risk Tae-Kwon Do techniques into his arsenal. The possibilities were endless. Many even called the matchup with first degree jiu-jitsu black belt Nate Diaz a squash match. But Diaz showed up and used his lifelong knowledge of jiu-jitsu to persevere and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Nate Diaz proved he is a Mixed Martial Artist in the truest sense on Saturday night, putting every aspect together for a spectacular victory over the brash Irish Champion Conor McGregor. However Nate Diaz was getting beat up. Pretty badly too. Conor was clearly out-striking Diaz in the first round and even into the second but Diaz was never flustered or discouraged. He ate shot after shot to his bleeding right eye yet still pressed forward.

If there is one thing Jiu-Jitsu teaches you it’s to preserve. If you stay calm any position can be over come with the proper technique. The last thing you want to do is panic. Panic is what caused Holly Holm to try and heave Meisha Tate over her head when she realized the choke was in too deep for her liking. Nate Diaz never hit the panic button.

Remember Conor’s comments after UFC 194:

"What is a takedown in a fight to the death?” -Conor McGregor

Nate used his own methodology against him. As repeated by Jake Shields in the UFC 196 Corner Cam audio “You’re willing to die in there Nate. He isn’t”

When the tides shifted (as Diaz knew they would) he seamlessly transitioned from deadly striker to stealth grappler. The level of confidence that Nate Diaz showed in his jiu-jitsu was maybe the most impressive aspect of Saturday night. The way he baited Conor into the leg drag, the way he over hooks the arm to prevent Conor from turning down it was an incredible display of how to control an opponent on the ground.

Nate has been a black belt under Cesar Gracie since 2012, but has been a life long practitioner of jiu-jitsu since his brother Nick Diaz introduced him to it. Nate used the lessons he’s learned along the way in Jiu-Jitsu to carry him through the fight. Slowly he began to apply more pressure until Conor started to panic. And as anyone who practices Jiu-Jitsu regularly can tell you, once your opponent starts to panic, it's only a matter of time.

Yes Nate's boxing set it up, and yes his ability to transition between martial arts was essential but don’t for a second forget what finished the fight. Jiu-Jitsu.

“I’ve been in this UFC since I was 21 years old,” Diaz said after his second-round submission win. “I think that was my 25th fight, or 26th fight. There’s no experience like that. I think this might’ve been his sixth, seventh, eighth fight. But we’ll see where he’s at in 26 fights from now.”