UFC 196 hits Las Vegas this Saturday, and the Bleacher Report staff is here to provide you with predictions for how we think each main card tilt will go.
And, yes, there is some dissension in the ranks.
In the main event, Nate Diaz battles UFC featherw…
UFC 196 hits Las Vegas this Saturday, and the Bleacher Report staff is here to provide you with predictions for how we think each main card tilt will go.
And, yes, there is some dissension in the ranks.
In the main event, Nate Diaz battles UFC featherweight champion ConorMcGregor in a welterweight bout. Diaz replaces lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos following an injury to the Brazilian, and the press events since then have been nothing short of spectacular.
There is still a title fight on the card, however, as Holly Holm defends her crown against Miesha Tate in the co-main event.
Three other strong supporting fights help fill out the UFC 196 fight card. Who will win? Which B/R staff member will come out on top?
There is only one way to find out. Read on for detail musings on all five UFC 196 main card contests.
Holly Holm is known for her knockout of Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, but the women’s bantamweight champion has gotten the chance to show her sparkling personality in the months following the title win.
And the love she has shown has been reciprocated by fa…
Holly Holm is known for her knockout of Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, but the women’s bantamweight champion has gotten the chance to show her sparkling personality in the months following the title win.
And the love she has shown has been reciprocated by fans.
At UFC 194 in December, she was selected by the UFC for its Q&A session before the weigh-ins. During the event, the Irish-heavy crowd serenaded her with Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.” But at the UFC 196 open workouts, it was Holm who brought the music to the fans.
She invited a young fan to the stage and proceeded to teach her some classic dance moves.
These humanizing moments should make everyone feel good, especially the young girl who Holm brought to the stage. They also go a long way to help create a new generation of fans as they watch Holm reach stardom while wearing gold.
In the midst of a war of words between ConorMcGregor and Nate Diaz, here is Holm offering some levity and good feelings. She will hope to keep the positivity going on Saturday when she defends her title against No. 2-ranked contender Miesha Tate in the UFC 196 co-main event.
The return of former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is closer to happening following successful back surgery.
Ariel Helwani reported on UFC Tonight that the No. 1-ranked heavyweight contender is looking to step back inside the cage before Jul…
The return of former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is closer to happening following successful back surgery.
Ariel Helwani reported on UFC Tonight that the No. 1-ranked heavyweight contender is looking to step back inside the cage before July. The date Velasquez is eyeing would make matchmaking intriguing for UFC’s Joe Silva.
The highest-ranked contender without a fight is No. 7-ranked Travis Browne.
Browne’s last outing was a controversial victory over Matt Mitrione in January.
The good news is that Velasquez is healthy once again, but if he gets the return date he wants, the selection of available ranked opponents is slim. It puts Silva in a tough spot to book Velasquez as the top-ranked contender.
The heavyweight division is heating up in 2016, and Velasquez’s return will add much-needed depth to the title picture.
Holly Holm (10-0) will defend her newly gained women’s bantamweight title for the first time at UFC 196. With Ronda Rousey still on the shelf, No. 2-ranked contender Miesha Tate (17-5) steps in to challenge for gold for the second time.
Holm stunned th…
Holly Holm (10-0) will defend her newly gained women’s bantamweight title for the first time at UFC 196. With Ronda Rousey still on the shelf, No. 2-ranked contender Miesha Tate (17-5) steps in to challenge for gold for the second time.
Holm stunned the MMA world with her vicious second-round knockout of Rousey at UFC 193 last November. The victory shifted the complexion of the division as a whole and opened up new opportunities for its contenders.
Tate believed she had wrapped up a title shot up after defeating Jessica Eye last summer. It was her fourth straight win, but the UFC went with Holm instead. It was a decision that hit Tate hard. But now she gets the shot she has rightfully earned with her in-cage performances.
The lone title fight on the card will be the co-main event on Saturday. Whether that is just or not makes little difference. The stakes remain the same.
Here is a head-to-toe breakdown for the co-main event of UFC 196.
Note: The video in this article contains NSFW language.
UFC 196 is just around the corner, and Nate Diaz’s camp is confident the Stockton native will topple Conor McGregor in the main event.
Diaz’s boxing coach, Richard Perez, told Submission Radio (h/…
Note: The video in this article contains NSFW language.
UFC 196 is just around the corner, and Nate Diaz‘s camp is confident the Stockton native will topple Conor McGregor in the main event.
Diaz’s boxing coach, Richard Perez, told Submission Radio (h/t MMAFighting.com) that the Irishman will “look silly” against the former lightweight title contender. So, just what is Diaz’s game plan that will accomplish this feat on Saturday? Thanks to Sean Cunningham of ABC10, we have the answer:
Perez thinks the key difference at UFC 196 will be ring control and “ring generalship.” Without question, the stylistic matchup between Diaz and McGregor will get fans on their feet.
Diaz is a pressure fighter who throws high volume, and McGregor’s creativity confounds opponents, often leaving them face first on the mat. And then there is the brash in-ring talking both Diaz and McGregor bring into the cage with them.
UFC 196 takes place in Las Vegas on Saturday. Bleacher Report will have continuing coverage of all the action from the weekend’s highly anticipated clash.
Top-10-ranked middleweights clashed in the UFC Fight Night 84 co-main event. No. 9-ranked Gegard Mousasi (38-6-2) returned from a loss to tangle with No. 10-ranked Thales Leites (25-6).
Leites pressured with a takedown attempt right away, but Mousasi s…
Top-10-ranked middleweights clashed in the UFC Fight Night 84 co-main event. No. 9-ranked Gegard Mousasi (38-6-2) returned from a loss to tangle with No. 10-ranked Thales Leites (25-6).
Leites pressured with a takedown attempt right away, but Mousasi stayed on his feet. The takedown defense would force Leites to abandon the attempt and get back to a striking distance. Mousasi’s lightning-quick jabs kept Leites out of range, and Mousasi also landed strong inside leg kicks.
The Brazilian was forced to shoot for another takedown, but Mousasi defended again. Leites took a lot of punishment from the leg kicks, making it an easy first round for Mousasi.
Stuck at the end of Mousasi’s jab was a big obstacle for Leites. Mousasi was accurate, and Leites had no answer. Leites, a former title challenger, was forced to throw wild punches in the hopes of connecting. Mousasi was simply too skilled. However, though skilled, Bleacher Report’s Scott Harris and Fantasy SportsNet’s Matt Brown pointed out Mousasi has shortcomings:
At the end of the second, it was visibly clear who was in firm control of the bout.
Leites pulled guard to open the third. It was the last of his options. Mousasi would not play in his guard for long before standing up and going right back to picking Leites apart with his jab. The difference in their striking made the fight a one-sided technical beatdown.
The victory is exactly what Mousasi needed to rebound from his loss to Uriah Hall.
The loss was extremely damaging to Leites. The 34-year-old will likely never be a legitimate threat to the the division’s top end again, but he could assume the role of a UFC top-10 gatekeeper. He is skilled enough to do that, and it makes matchmaking a bit more simple for the UFC.
Chris Camozzi would be a good fight for Leites to take next. Camozzi wrecked Joe Riggs at UFC Fight Night 83 in early February. It would test the American to see if he is ready to be a top-15-level middleweight. It’s a fine addition to a Fight Night undercard. SB Nation/MMAFighting.com’s E. Casey Leydon suggests a Mousasi/Hall rematch:
With the division in flux, predicting what’s next for Mousasi is extremely difficult at this juncture. He could be put against someone like Derek Brunson, have a rematch with Hall or end up fighting a title contender who can’t wait for his shot at gold. If given the book, I would put Mousasi in the cage against the highest- ranked fighter not going for the belt.
In his post-fight interview, Mousasi said he is a top-five fighter.
This fight helped to clear the air at 185 pounds. Mousasi is moving upward, and Leites will now be relegated to keeping the gate for the middleweight contenders.
Holly