McGregor targets Diaz destruction, Holm collides with Tate at UFC 196
Published:
Lee Gormley | March 4, 2016
Conor McGregor v Nate Diaz
- UFC welterweight fight
- Sunday, March 6th
- Scheduled for: 05:00 GMT
- MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
- Live on BT Sport 2
McGregor gunning for Diaz demolition
Following the withdrawal of Brazilian lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, Conor McGregor collides with stand-in American opponent Nate Diaz at UFC 196’s main event, as the Irishman aims to continue his devastating run.
Having dispatched Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to claim the featherweight crown in December, ‘the Notorious’ has made an incredible jump from 145 pounds to 170 for this welterweight encounter in Las Vegas and is 11/8 with Coral for another first-round knockout victory.
The deadly Dubliner was involved in an intense final face-off with Diaz (18-10 MMA) in which the pair almost came to blows, with police and officials having to intervene to separate the pair, but McGregor (19-2 MMA) has assured their is no bad blood, stating it is strictly business as usual.
“There’s no emotions in it. I’ve no problem with him. I’m going to slap the head off him. It’s business as usual. I’ll bury him. I’m going to bury this chump on Saturday night,” declared McGregor.
“If he’s still conscious when he hits the mat, I will crush his hips and pass his guard and mount him and strangle him, like a boa constrictor wrapped around his long frame.
“The talking is done. We need to fight now. This is just bulls*** all this, just going back and forth. We’re ready to fight now. It’s sold, let’s f***ing do this.”
UFC history on hold for McGregor
The 27-year-old was initially aiming to make history by beating Dos Anjos to become the first fighter ever in the UFC to hold two world titles simultaneously, but brash Californian Diaz now stands in his way.
McGregor is 13/2 to end his latest octagon outing in 59 seconds or less in the early hours of Sunday morning, while Diaz’s best chance of causing a mammoth upset is to take the fighting to the floor.
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is 6/1 to triumph by submission, though he has lost three of his previous five fights, including a second-round KO to Josh Thomson, and McGregor is seeking to destroy another Vegas victim.
“I like Vegas; I’ve buried three bodies clean out here and Saturday night will be a fourth body. The dirt is clean, you can scoop it up and stuff bodies in there easily so I will continue to do that,” continued ‘the Notorious’.
“I will eat his carcass..”
“I’m a lion in there and I’m going to eat you alive. Your little gazelle friends are going to be looking through the cage watching your carcass getting eaten alive and all they’re going to say is, ‘we’re never crossing this river again’.
“People run scared all the time. I’ve hunted him down, I’ve stalked him. And on Saturday night I will eat his carcass in front of all his gazelle friends.
“I’m going to toy with the young boy, I’m going to play with him. His entries and his exits, his retreats, his feints; his patterns are all identical, he can’t break out of his routine.”
After his sensational 13-second stoppage of Aldo, McGregor is 25/1 to halt Diaz in the same time or less in what has become his relished stomping ground of Sin City, as ‘Mystic Mac’ looks to add another devastating success to his clinical run.
For potential new customers, you can back McGregor to beat Diaz at an amazing 10/1 this weekend, with a max £5 stake and likely winnings paid out as free bets.
Holly Holm v Miesha Tate
- UFC women’s bantamweight title fight
- Sunday, March 6th
- Scheduled for: 04:00 GMT
- MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
- Live on BT Sport 2
Holm out to prove a point in first defence
After stunningly producing one of the biggest shocks in UFC history with her dethroning of Ronda Rousey last year, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm makes the maiden defence of her crown against Miesha Tate at UFC 196.
Before McGregor takes to the octagon, Holm (10-0 MMA) will aim to prove her sensational stoppage of Rousey wasn’t a flash in the pan success, and the 34-year-old American is 5/1 for a second successive second-round KO victory over Tate (17-5 MMA).
“I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder is probably the thing I’ve been saying about that,” outlined ‘the Preacher’s Daughter’.
“I don’t want it to be this one performance. I want to show people that I’m here for a reason and for me, I want to keep going, I want to keep getting better, I want to keep learning.
“Trust me, the last fight was one of the best moments of my life, but I don’t want my whole career to be defined by one fight. I don’t want my whole life to be focused on that.”
Tate targets Holm’s ‘suspect chin’
‘Takedown’ Tate has prevailed in four consecutive bouts since her submission loss at the hands of former champion Rousey at UFC 168 in 2013, and the Washington fighter is 5/2 to shock Holm in Las Vegas after outlining a possible weakness in her opponent’s armoury.
“I think that Holly’s chin might be a little bit suspect,” stated Tate.
“I have seen her wobbled a couple times. There were some punches that didn’t look like they were anything more than I could deliver, that’s for sure. I think that’s a little bit questionable, too.
“I’ve watched some of her fights and I’ve seen her chin get tested, and I think it’s a little bit suspect.”
A high-profile rematch between Holm and Rousey is being lined up for potentially UFC 200, but the reigning women’s bantamweight title holder will have to deal with the threat of Tate before that in Las Vegas.
Related
Coral’s top tip: Back Conor McGregor to stop Nate Diaz in the first round at 11/8.
