EA Sports UFC 2 director says adding Stockton Slap to game was 'a little something for the fans' after Diaz-McGregor

If you've ever wanted to take control of the Diaz brothers and slap a grown man into submission, well, now you can.

Fans of EA Sports UFC 2 were treated to an unexpected Easter egg this week when the infamous ‘Stockton Slap' joined the arsenal of Nick Diaz and Nate Diaz courtesy of the video game's first update.

The addition was a no-brainer, says series creative director Brian Hayes, especially after watching the younger Diaz brother land the move to great effect against UFC 2 cover athlete Conor McGregor at UFC 196.

"We had just finished most of the heavy lifting with regards to getting UFC 2 launch and out the door, stuff like that, right around the time the McGregor-Diaz obviously went down," Hayes said. "There was a Stockton Slap in the fight and it just seemed like a fairly simple thing to add to the game, but obviously it pays off huge.

"The first time that we put it in the game and knocked somebody down or knocked somebody out with it, we all basically had the same reaction that everybody had to the first video that got out there of somebody doing it in Knockout Mode. It's awesome when it happens.

"Only the Diaz brothers do it, so if it was an unlockable move or just one of the movesets for every boxer in the game, it might've seemed a little bit weird. But it's something we wanted to kind of tip our hat towards the Diaz brothers and their special place in MMA, and add a little something for the fans."

Both Diaz brothers are able to execute the move in-game by taunting an opponent, then throwing a lead hook.

Diaz, of course, stunned the MMA world at UFC 196 when he tapped out McGregor with a second-round rear-naked choke. The two rivals are slated to rematch in a welterweight contest on July 9 at UFC 200, and if their first meeting was any indication, McGregor may find himself staring down the barrel of a few more ‘Stockton Slaps' if things start trending southward.

Hayes expects this week's UFC 2 patch to be the first of many to come, similar to how the EA Sports UFC 1 received numerous post-launch updates. Along with the Diaz brothers' trademark taunt, this week's offering includes new playable UFC fighters Patrick Cote and Louis Smolka, along with a handful of gameplay tweaks.

Hayes can't say for sure what additional characters will make it into the game next, but he expects fans will be pleased by what the team at EA Canada has planned.

"That's what we do it for. We're just trying to, for the UFC video game fans, give them something that they're really going to enjoy," Hayes said.

"As soon as we are able to release information about any of that stuff, we will. But we do have a plan that involves supporting the game for a significant period of time post-launch. For sure."