UFC 196: Betting Odds and Predictions
Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz might not be the superfight we were anticipating, but it’s absolutely among the very exciting matchups we could have hoped to watch as MMA fans. UFC 196 won’t just feature McGregor vs Diaz, it will likewise see Holly Holm place her bantamweight title on the line for the first time when she takes on Miesha Tate.
Conor McGregor (-400) vs Nate Diaz (+300)
We’ve got the featherweight winner taking on the fifth ranked lightweight in a welterweight fight. Yeah, this fight will be a little weird.
McGregor makes his first appearance from the Octagon since dusting Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win the featherweight title. Since joining the UFC back in 2013, McGregor is 7-0 with half of those victories coming via stoppage.
Much has been made of McGregor’s striking style and also the devastating knockout power the Irishman owns. His standup game relies within a vertical stance which allows McGregor to throw his kicks without exerting surplus time or energy. He’s become an expert in using his kicks to make the space that he can use to start his arsenal of attacks. The swiftness and brutality of these attacks are unparalleled in MMA today.
The largest question mark in this fight is size. McGregor is fighting 170 lbs for the first time in his career; a leap of 25 lbs in contrast to his final struggle, and will be at a hit disadvantage for the very first time within the UFC. ‘The Notorious One’ consistently held a distinct advantage in size in the lower weight classes, but Nate is about four inches taller and has a two-inch achieve advantage.
Diaz possesses a fighting style that is uniquely suited to him along with his brother Nick. He is a volume fighter and foremost on his feet, meaning that he throws punches in bunches and loves to be competitive. The Stockton-native is good at keeping his distance, quickly moving in to throw a flurry and then return to distance. Diaz pairs his remarkable skills using a phenomenal floor game which has led to 11 of his 18 career wins coming through submission.
Despite his powerful ground game, Diaz is unable to genuinely use it thanks to some bad wrestling game. It appears that Diaz will frequently attempt to taunt his opponents to a location where they go for the takedown and he can do his work. Although his striking game is strong, it is far from ideal since it involves a simple attack with few unpredictable components.
Can Diaz submit McGregor? Yes. Will he get the opportunity to? Not likely.
This is expected to become a standup affair although Diaz is a competent striker, he does not possess the same level of abilities that McGregor does. Conor has good movement skills, which ought to help him conquer his reach drawback and pick up the win in this one.
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