If the hype leading up to UFC 196 has been any indication, one of the most captivating nights mixed martial arts has ever seen will unfold Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
As if a women’s bantamweight showdown between Holly Holm and Miesha Tate wasn’t enough, Conor McGregor will look to continue his reign of terror when he moves up a couple of weight classes for a heated meeting with Nate Diaz.
But before breaking down the most compelling bouts set to take center stage Saturday night, here’s a look at when and where you can catch all the action:
Event Details
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET
TV: Pay-per-view
Live Stream: UFC.tv ($59.99)
Holm vs. Tate
It’s easy to forget given the hype surrounding the McGregor-Diaz matchup, but Holm and Tate are primed to put on a show before the main event takes over the Octagon.
Fresh off a shocking upset win over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193, Holm (10-0) has all of the momentum in the world as she seeks to keep her undefeated record intact. And as Holm‘s seismic display in November reinforced, she has the arsenal to deal a knockout blow to seemingly any bantamweight fighter.
“The bottom line remains: Holm is a premier striker and can defeat an awful lot of would-be high-end opponents with her fists and feet,” CBSSports.com’s Lyle Fitzsimmons wrote. “In fact, that’ll continue to be her winning recipe until someone can get her off her feet and put her in situations where she’s not comfortable.”
However, Tate (17-5) is no slouch.
The 29-year-old has won four straight fights—three of which came by unanimous decision. In fact, her last loss came at the hands of Rousey in December 2013.
The bad news for Tate is that despite her recent hot streak, bantamweight foes have generally proved to be her kryptonite. As CBS Sports’ Robby Kalland noted (via Fitzsimmons), Tate has dropped each of her last three clashes in bantamweight settings.
Recent history suggests Tate will hang around and force a decision, but in the end, Holm feels like the favorite as she seeks to maintain control of the bantamweight belt.
Prediction: Holm def. Tate by unanimous decision.
McGregor vs. Diaz
McGregor may be entering unfamiliar territory—up two weight classes—for his nontitle showdown with Diaz, but he’s assumed the form of a heavy favorite nonetheless, as he made clear at a Feb. 24 press conference, via Brandon Wise of CBS Sports:
I should create my own belt. I am, in myself, my own belt. It doesn’t matter if its featherweight, lightweight, welterweight. It’s the McGregor belt. That’s it, I’m fighting for my own belt.
If it wasn’t clear already, McGregor has exuded nothing but confidence in his ability to down Diaz and grow his legend.
“Don’t get me wrong,” McGregor said, per MMA Fighting’s Marc Raimondi. “There’s a respect there between us, but it’s business in there. And business is business. He will be KO’d inside the first round.”
Based on the way he dealt a brilliant tactical blow to Jose Aldo, there’s no reason to doubt McGregor is capable of replicating his performance at UFC 194.
While the clash may last longer than 13 seconds, McGregor is riding a wave that has seen him capture 15 wins in a row since losing to Joseph Duffy by submission Nov. 27, 2010.
Diaz, on the other hand, has lost three of his last five fights and has been off his game since losing a title tilt against Benson Henderson in December 2012.
“Diaz has a solid chin, but it isn’t granite,” Bleacher Report’s Nathan McCarter wrote. “He gets hit, he gets hurt, and he doesn’t have the takedown ability to threaten McGregor.”
Prediction: McGregor def. Diaz by Round 2 TKO.
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