UFC 196 update: McGregor pitted against Diaz; Holmes to defend belt against Tate

 Facebook courtesy of UFC

It will be Conor McGregor against Nate Diaz at the UFC 196 main card event, which will happen on March 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

McGregor is the current featherweight champion. He was initially pitted against Rafael dos Anjos, the current lightweight division champ. The huge title fight was supposed to be the second time in UFC history that two current champs of different divisions would get into the octagon. However, Anjos suffered a foot injury and had to back out of the title event.

Hurriedly, the game organizer got in touch with Jose Aldo, the former featherweight champ, but he declined due to lack of preparation time. Frankie Edgar, the former lightweight champion and current top contender at featherweight, cannot fight either because of groin injury. Eventually, it was Diaz who signed up for the fight.

Diaz is The Ultimate Fighter 5 winner, and a former lightweight title challenger. They agreed to meet at the welterweight division, at 170 pounds.

McGregor, also known as "The Notorious," is the second fighter from Ireland to compete at the UFC. He is also known to be loud and talks excessively, and fans love it. His current record stands at 19-W, 2-L, 0-D. He is known for precise and carefully timed powerful strikes, straight left hand, and knee kicks to the opponent's body. He always gives his opponents spinning back kicks to the head.

Diaz, from California, has a record of 18-W, 10-L, 0-D, and is currently No. 5 in the lightweight ranks. He is known for his boxing and jiu-jitsu fighting style and is a member Cesar Gracie's Jiu-Jitsu team. He can strike, pull takedowns, and put his opponents into submission.

The UFC 196 will also bring in Holly Holm against Miesha Tate. Holm, who ended Ronda Rousey's three-year championship reign, will be defending her bantamweight championship belt from Tate, who ranks no. 2.

Early fights of the UFC 196 will start at 6:30 p.m. ET and the main card is at 10 p.m. ET.

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