UFC 202 live stream (Photo : Youtube)
Conor McGregor's gamble to fight Nate Diaz 25 pounds heavier than his natural weight didn't payoff. Five months later, the Notorious wants another crack at it at UFC 202.
In arguably the biggest bout this year outside UFC 200, McGregor and Diaz will slug it out inside the octagon one more time in a match that has turned into a personal affair.
McGregor, who is probably making the biggest gamble of his career by fighting a natural welterweight in Diaz the second time around, promises to give a better all-around performance as he brought a bunch of sparring partners that mimic Diaz's lanky body type and fighting style.
"Fans can look forward to a ferocious fight," McGregor told reporters during the press conference. "I'm going in there with ruthless intention. They can look forward to an improved athlete, a focused athlete. It's going to be one hell of a fight.
"(Diaz has) gotten even bigger than the last fight so I'm facing an even bigger man. But you know what, I'm excited about that and I've put in the correct preparation for that. I've sparred middleweights, fresh middleweights. The first fight was at 170 and my heart wouldn't let me have it any other way."
Odds & Predictions for UFC 202 Main Card live on UFC PPV (check listings):
Conor McGregor (-129) vs. Nate Diaz (+109) - welterweight fight
Again, McGregor has everything to lose in this match. His popularity and ability to rake up money through PPV buys will surely take a major hit should he bow out to Diaz the second straight time.
For Diaz, not that much. He's bringing the same underdog mentality heading into his second showdown with McGregor, the man he beat via submission in the second round of UFC 200.
Diaz might have become one of UFC most marketable stars by virtue of that victory, but the arrival of fame and fortune hasn't blinded Diaz of his main goal: to beat the crap of a trash-talking McGregor.
And at fight night, my bet is on Diaz, using his size advantage and durability anew; to beat McGregor once again in what will surely be a bloody and dramatic showdown. Diaz via TKO (3rd round).
Anthony Johnson (-200) vs. Glover Teixeira (+170) - Light Heavyweight
Johnson is on a roll since losing to Daniel Cormier in last year's title fight. The KO king of the UFC easily dismantled Jim Manuwa (KO 2nd round) and Ryan Bader (KO 1st round) in back-to-back performance of the night.
Against the 36-year old Teixeira, who by the way on a three-match winning streak, Johnson will find a way to prevail and arrange a second showdown with Cormier down the road. Johnson via first round TKO.
Rick Story (+135) vs. Donald Cerrone (-150) - welterweight
Story has won his last three fights, including a 3-round unanimous decision win over Tarec Saffiedine last May. Yet, he hasn't fought a fighter that has the quality of Donald Cowboy Cerrone.
After losing to Rafael Dos Anjos in the quickest lightweight title match ever, the Cowboy moved to welterweight division where he produced consecutive performance of the night bouts against Alex Oliveira (1st round TKO) and Patrick Cole (3rd round TKO). Without a doubt, the Cowboys getting this one on a dominating fashion. Cerrone via 2nd round TKO.
Welterweight Bouts & UFC Preliminary card:
Hyun Gyu Lim (-265) vs. Mike Perry (+225): Gyu Lim via 2nd round KO
Tim Means (-400) vs. Sabah Homasi (+330): Means via 1st round KO
Cody Garbrandt vs. Takeya Mizugaki (Bantamweight)
Raquel Pennington vs. Elizabeth Phillips (Women's Bantamweight)
Artem Lobov vs. Chris Avila (Featherweight)
Randa Markos vs. Cortney Casey (Women's Strawweight)
UFC 202 will begin its preliminary card at 7 p.m US EST live on Fox Sports 1 while the main card commences at around 10 p.m US EST on PPV.
