No belts are on the line, but this upcoming showdown UFC featherweight champion Connor McGregor (19-2-0) and California bad boy Nate Diaz (18-10-0) has all the makings of a big money fight on Saturday at MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.
McGregor, fresh from a sensational first-round TKO win over former pound-for-pound king Jose Aldo to unify the UFC Featherweights belt in December, looks to add another feather to his hat by beating a much-seasoned and heavier Diaz at welterweight.
The Notorious was originally slated to square it off with UFC lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos in the main event of UFC 196, but the Brazilian withdrew two weeks before the fight due to a foot injury.
Looking to fill a big void in two weeks notice, UFC president Dana White tapped the 30-year old Diaz, a veteran of 28 MMA fights with 18 victories around his waist. Moreover, what makes the Stockton, California native an intriguing substitute for Dos Anjos is his no holds barred, flamboyant attitude that could rival McGregor's swagger.
The pairing didn't disappoint a bit as the two traded barbs right off the bat in the press conference two weeks ago. Intensity escalated a notch a higher days heading into the fight night after McGregor and Diaz almost triggered an all-out bar during the final press conference. Things also got chippy in the weigh in with both fighters jawing at each other non-stop.
With all the hype created by McGregor and Diaz, people might forget that there's a high-profile championship matchup slated in the evening. UFC women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm will be defending his belt for the first time since upsetting Ronda Rousey against former Strikeforce champ Meisha Tate.
Holm, undefeated in 10 matches, will try to prove to everyone that her victory against arguably the most dominant women's champion in MMA history wasn't a fluke. Tate (17-5-2), on the other hand, is on a four-match winning streak since succumbing to Rousey at UFC 168. On Saturday, she will have another crack at winning the elusive bantamweight championship belt.
Full Main Card for UFC 196:
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz - Welterweight (Tale of the Tape) (Sherdog Scorecards)
Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate - UFC Bantamweight Championship (Tale of the Tape) (Sherdog Scorecards)
Gian Villante vs. Ilir Latifi - (Tale of the Tape) (Sherdog Scorecards)
Corey Anderson vs. Tom Lawlor - (Tale of the Tape) (Sherdog Scorecards)
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko - (Tale of the Tape) (Sherdog Scorecards)
For full results of UFC 196 from the early preliminary to the main event of the night, Sherdog provides the results and updates as it happens (Results & Updates). PPV and Cable information for UFC 196 can be found on UFC 196 official website
