The year 2016 is the 24th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. The event was originally expected to take place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On December 29, UFC announced that the event was cancelled and would be moved to a different location. On January 12, it was confirmed the event would take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The event was expected to be headlined by a UFC Lightweight Championship bout between champion Rafael dos Anjos and UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor. This would have been the second time in UFC history that champions in different divisions would fight for the same title.
McGregor controlled his bout with Nate Diaz for the better part of two rounds Saturday in the main event of UFC 196 before a raucous crowd at the MGM Grand Garden.
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has never backed down from a challenge. Not even the prospect of going up two weight classes made McGregor flinch. But for all his valiance, moving up 25 pounds turned out to be a bridge too far.
With this pre-fight trash talk, McGregor drew comparisons to Muhammad Ali. “I cannot accept a comparison like that,’’ he demurred. “Ali is a special man.’’
UFC 196 Full Results Winner
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz — Diaz def. McGregor by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:12 of Round Two
Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate — Tate def. Holm by technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:30 of Round Five
Gian Villante vs. Ilir Latifi — Latifi def. Villante by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Corey Anderson vs. Tom Lawlor — Anderson def. Lawlor by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko — Nunes def. Shevchenko by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27 x2)
Brandon Thatch vs. Siyar Bahadurzada — Bahadurzada def. Thatch by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:11 of Round Three
Erick Silva vs. Nordine Taleb — Taleb def. Silva by KO (punch) at 1:34 of Round Two
Vitor Miranda vs. Marcelo Guimaraes — Miranda def. Guimaraes by TKO (strikes) at 1:09 of Round Two
Darren Elkins vs. Chas Skelly — Elkins def. Skelly by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 30-26)
Diego Sanchez vs. Jim Miller — Sanchez def. Miller by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Justin Salas vs. Jason Saggo — Saggo def. Salas by TKO (punches) 4:31 of Round One
Julian Erosa vs. Teruto Ishihara — Ishihara def. Erosa by KO (punches) at 0:34 of Round Two
It was one of the few sensible things McGregor said during his non-stop campaign to hype his fight against Diaz at UFC 196. And he went too far.
During the first round of their fight, when McGregor bloodied Diaz with a left hook, the talking continued. Then, mercifully, it stopped. When Diaz stuffed his fist in McGregor’s face.
Join us and watch tonight on Bloody Elbow for live results and in-depth play by play of the UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz preliminary cards.
