UFC 196 takes place Saturday night with two massive championship fights; Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz topping the fight card, along with Holly Holm vs Miesha Tate. UFC 196 has a scheduled start time of 6.30 p.m. ET with the Early Prelims, followed by the Fox Sports 1 preliminaries from 8 p.m. ET. The main fight card has a start time of 10 p.m. ET. A full fight card schedule can be seen below. UFC 196 can be watched on TV on UFC PPV, or online through live stream via the link provided below.
Tonight's UFC 196 event takes place from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The top fight has seen some drama, as McGregor's original opponent pulled out just days before the event, meaning that McGregor was forced to step up in weight to take on Diaz. Diaz of course will be hoping his extra natural weight will prove decisive so that he can defeat the loud-mouthed Irishman and send him back down to the Featherweights.
McGregor won't be too worried by the step up in weight though, as he has more than enough punching power. He has already proven that he is just as comfortable fighting as the aggressor or as a counter-puncher, and it will be interesting to see which he will be forced to take up today against Diaz.
Diaz meanwhile will not be too daunted by the challenge that awaits him. He will feel he is the larger fighter, he is comfortable to exchange clashes with McGregor, and he has a solid chin that he will believe should be able to withstand anything McGregor throws at him.
Many pundits have suggested that McGregor will not be reckless and just walk into exchanges against the bigger man. Rather he will look to optimize his long kicks to take advantage of a supposed weakness in Diaz's armory.
Diaz though will be no walkover. He has been in the Octagon for a long time and has experience enough to make sure he gives as good as he gets. Over the years, Diaz has grown more comfortable becoming a more physical fighter, and he will try to get in McGregor's face and bully the fight. He will try and attack to get into a clinch with his opponent and from there he can use his size advantage and wear McGregor down.
Some analysts have advised it would be best for Diaz to make sure he survives the opening exchanges and draws the fight out. McGregor is well known for coming out at a fast pace, throwing and kicking hard from the outset. However, that is difficult to maintain, and if Diaz can make the fight come down to the latter rounds then Diaz may have a better chance at wearing his opponent down. If McGregor does gettered, Diaz is an expert at moving in and swarming over exhausted opponents.
For the fans this fight should be an excellent one. McGregor is so unpredictable, and there are so many variables between the two fighters here that it could potentially go either way. However, McGregor will be desperate to win here tonight to continue to build his legacy, and even what would eventually be a wild match up with 170 pound champ Robbie Lawler. A loss would likely confine the Irishman to the featherweights for a much more extended period. So he is a fighter with a lot to prove today.
In tonight's other big match up between Holly Holm vs Miesha Tate, Holm will be the massive favorite. The way in which she demolished Ronda Rousey to explode into the spotlight of the UFC scene was extraordinary, and the undefeated fighter really should be able to dispose of Tate relatively easily when comparing the challenge today to what she faced when she took on Rousey. However, Tate is a competent opponent and if Holm is not at her best she certainly has the talent to cause an upset. Again, this bout should be a fan favorite and will draw in extra fans to the PPV.
Tonight's big UFC 196 event has a scheduled start time of 6.30 p.m. ET with the Early Prelims, followed by the Fox Sports 1 preliminaries from 8 p.m. ET. The main fight card has a start time of 10 p.m. ET. UFC 196 can be watched on TV on UFC PPV, or online through live stream via PPV UFC.TV by clicking here.
Below is the UFC 196 full fight card schedule:
UFC 196 PPV Main Events:
170 lbs.: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz
135 lbs.: UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate
UFC 196 PPV Main Fight Card at 10 p.m. ET:
205 lbs.: Gian Villante vs. Ilir Latifi
205 lbs.: Corey Anderson vs. Tom Lawlor
135 lbs.: Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko
UFC 196 "FS1 Prelims" (FOX Sports 1) at 8 p.m. ET
170 lbs.: Brandon Thatch vs. Siyar Bahadurzada
170 lbs.: Erick Silva vs. Nordine Taleb
185 lbs.: Vitor Miranda vs. Marcelo Guimaraes
145 lbs.: Darren Elkins vs. Chas Skelly
UFC 196 "Early Prelims" (UFC Fight Pass) at 6:30 p.m. ET
155 lbs.: Diego Sanchez vs. Jim Miller
155 lbs.: Justin Salas vs. Jason Saggo
145 lbs.: Julian Erosa vs. Teruto Ishihara
