In 2016, Conor McGregor became an absolute UFC superstar, fighting three times and earning two title belts in the process. Since winning the lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez in November of 2016, though, he's been absent from the octagon ever since as he pursues a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather.

However, McGregor is still one of the biggest personalities in mixed martial arts, and speculation is running rampant about who he'll fight next.

Even though most focus is on the Irish star's future, his second bout against Diaz is already considered one of the best fights in UFC history.

Over the weekend, UFC Soundwaves released a behind-the-scenes video of the UFC 202 matchup, complete with audio of both fighters, their coaches, the referee and the fans. However, perhaps the most interesting moment in the five-minute video comes after the final bell, when McGregor and Diaz meet in the center of the octagon to congratulate each other on a hard-fought battle:

"Great fight, brother," McGregor says in the video. "Great f---ing fight. You're an amazing warrior."

Despite the personas the two fighters put on when they're not in the octagon, it's clear they have a great deal of respect for one another on the mat.

Even the referee, Big John McCarthy, was impressed with the fight, telling McGregor he was an absolute warrior during the three-round match:

"Great job," he says. "You're a f---ing warrior, brother."

McGregor obviously won the fight via majority decision, evening his series with Diaz at one win apiece. Even though Diaz was upset with the decision, he had every reason to be proud of the way he fought, a message the ref echoed to him after his comments to McGregor.

McGregor has a 21-3 overall record in 24 career fights, while Diaz sports a 19-11 mark in 30 career bouts. Neither have fought in 2017, as Diaz is waiting for a fight offer that he deems acceptable from the UFC.

Since the Diaz-McGregor series is tied at 1-1, a rubber match between the two stars would likely be a big draw for UFC fans. However, as McGregor's focus has been solely on Mayweather in recent months, it doesn't seem like round three is in the works any time soon.

Diaz is probably itching for a third shot at The Notorious, but it's possible McGregor will instead vacate his UFC titles ahead of the potential mega-fight with Mayweather, if and when that ever actually happens. Therefore, Diaz will need another battle in order to stay sharp if he wants to stay on top of his game for another potential McGregor fight.