UFC 202 Diaz vs McGregor

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Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz
Anthony Johnson vs Glover Teixeira
Donald Cerrone vs Rick Story
Hyun Gyu Lim vs Mike Perry
Tim Means vs Sean Strickland

FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET
Cody Garbrandt vs Takeya Mizugaki
Raquel Pennington vs Elizabeth Phillips
Chris Avila vs Artem Lobov
Cortney Casey vs Randa Markos

UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET
Lorenz Larkin vs Neil Magny
Colby Covington vs Max Griffin
Ning Guangyou vs Marlon Vera
Alberto Uda vs Marvin Vettori
 

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Veteran referee "Big" John McCarthy will be the third man in the Octagon to oversee Conor McGregor against Nate Diaz at UFC 202.



The Nevada State Athletic Commission approved McCarthy as the referee for the highly anticipated bout taking place on August 20 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Herb Dean was the referee in the first fight at UFC 196, but this time around the commission opted to go with McCarthy as the head official for the fight.

As for the judges, Nevada selected Derek Cleary, Jeff Mullen and Glenn Trowbridge as the officials to score the fight.
 

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From Friday's (8/5) UFC 202 media call ...



McGregor predicts a Diaz KO in round 2
 

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Nate Diaz is getting 66% of moneyline bets vs. Conor McGregor, but has moved from +100 to +115 since opening in June at 5dimes.
 

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UFC 202: Main Card Preview and Predictions
from Steven Rondina - Bleacher Report



Cody Garbrandt (9-0), Takeya Mizugaki (21-9-2)

Cody Garbrandt is the hottest prospect in the game right now. Twenty-five years old, undefeated, well-coached and knocking people out left and right, it's hard not to fall in love with No Love. The UFC is certainly smitten with him as well, giving him prominent placement on cards and setting him on a path that could quickly line him up for a title shot.

Fresh off an impressive win over former “next big thing” Thomas Almeida, he looks to maintain his momentum with a win over respected veteran Takeya Mizugaki. That, however, is easier said than done.

While Garbrandt has captured the attention of fans and pundits, Mizugaki has been a reliable, formidable, high-level bantamweight for the better part of a decade. In many ways, he falls into the niche Michael Bisping long held at 185 pounds, with a strong all-around game held back by an unfortunate lack of stopping power that relegates him to “perennial contender” status.

The Japanese veteran can be counted on to, at the very least, keep things competitive. Bettors will likely favor the youngster, and rightly so. That said, this is far from a slam dunk.

Prediction: Cody Garbrandt def. Takeya Mizugaki by unanimous decision



Tim Means (25-7-1), Sean Strickland (18-1)

Sean Strickland threw the UFC a curveball by eking out a win over top British prospect Tom Breese. Now he's getting thrown into the deep end to see if he has what it takes to hack it against established welterweights. To be more specific, established welterweights like Tim Means.

After being released from the UFC in 2013, Means returned less than a year later and carved a niche as one of the better fighters at 170 pounds. He has come up short against top-10 competition, dropping fights to both Matt Brown and Neil Magny, but anyone that isn't an especially well-rounded competitor will struggle against the Dirty Bird.

That makes him the perfect test for a surging youngster like Strickland. At 25 years old and with a strong 18-1 record against solid competition, there is a lot to like about him. If he can get through Means, it could be the start of big things. If not? He goes back to the drawing board.

It's tough to peg which way things will break. Means could win the day with his punches and knees, but Strickland could outwork Means with his grappling and work against the cage. Either way, this one should be guaranteed excitement.

Prediction: Tim Means def. Sean Strickland by unanimous decision



Donald Cerrone (30-7), Rick Story (19-8)

Donald Cerrone answered an important question in Canada a few weeks back. By defeating former middleweight contender Patrick Cote, Cowboy showed that his skills do translate to the welterweight division. His rangy striking? The pop in his punches? The snakelike submission skills? All present and accounted for, even against larger opponents.

With that out of the way, the fan favorite has a straight shot to a welterweight title berth. All he needs to do is score a couple of wins over top-10 competitors. Enter Rick Story.

After three roller-coaster years in the UFC, Story has seemingly returned for form of late, returning from a lengthy hiatus and showing off an improved clinch striking game to go along with his established grappling. Now on a winning streak that includes Icelandic grappling star Gunnar Nelson and former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine, he is actually getting close to a title shot for the first time since 2011.

That makes this fight an interesting one between two enigmatic-but-exciting talents. Story could box Cerrone up in close en route to a decision win. Cerrone, however, could keep things at a comfortable distance and outland Story from range.

This writer will lean in Story's direction...for now. Next week? Who knows?

Prediction: Rick Story def. Donald Cerrone by unanimous decision



Anthony Johnson (21-5), Glover Teixeira (25-4)

Slugger meets slugger.

Glover Teixeira entered the UFC with a great deal of hype and, for a time, it seemed like that was just about all he had. A rushed title shot was followed by two ugly losses that threatened to lock him into midtier status for life, but he avoided that fate by scoring three impressive stoppage victories over Ovince Saint Preux, Patrick Cummins and Rashad Evans.

With the light heavyweight division potentially Jon Jones-less for the next two years, the door to title contention has been flung open to Teixeira...if he can score the biggest win of his career.

Despite a never-ending stream of what the UFC would call “personal issues,” Anthony Johnson is a downright excellent fighter. A wrestler turned potent striker, Rumble has established himself as the hardest hitter in the light heavyweight division with knockout wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Ryan Bader and Alexander Gustafsson. There are few fighters that can take him down, and few that can avoid his big hands for any length of time. That applies to Teixeira as well.

Johnson is the favorite here, but victory is far from guaranteed. In the last two years, Teixeira's one-dimensional striking has become much less predictable, and there's no reason that he can't outrumble Johnson with a well-placed left hook or right uppercut. Johnson is most likely the safer bet...but this is one to avoid putting money on.

Prediction: Anthony Johnson def. Glover Teixeira by TKO in Round 2



Nate Diaz (19-10), Conor McGregor (19-3)

Gallons of digital ink have been spilled on this fight, but there is still so, so much to talk about.

The stakes are high for both Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor.

Diaz has reached seemingly impossible heights of popularity since defeating McGregor at UFC 196. Going 2-0 over the Irish striker certainly won't hurt his brand. Splitting the series, though, would draw out those unflattering questions about the legitimacy of his first win.

McGregor, meanwhile, has delighted and/or infuriated fans with his ability to both talk the talk, and walk the walk. It feels like an eternity ago that the MMA world was discussing the so-called Mystic Mac and his ability to predict how his fights would transpire with an eerie accuracy. An emphatic win would turn back the clock. A loss would cause irreversible damage.

The political subplots to this fight are downright tantalizing.

Diaz has butted heads with UFC brass for years, and UFC President Dana White has been visibly struggling to deal with it. If Diaz walks away as the winner of two of the biggest main events in UFC history, he will wield even more leverage at the negotiating table.

McGregor already holds more sway over his fate than any fighter in the company, and has pressured the UFC into throwing out its playbook on more than a few occasions already. Even in defeat, he hasn't given up the ability to call his own shots, and how the UFC-McGregor power struggle shakes out remains one of the most interesting stories in MMA today.

And of course, there's also the UFC's reportedly souring sale to WME-IMG to ponder. What if this fight falls apart once again? What if it doesn't perform well on pay-per-view? What if McGregor's popularity dips? Could those be the straws that break this proverbial camel's back?

There is so much riding on this fight for every party. The only real prediction that can be made is that, regardless of the outcome, it will result in pure chaos.

Prediction: Conor McGregor def. Nate Diaz by unanimous decision
 

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UFC 202 Predictions
from The MMA Way



Mark's Picks

McGregor TKO Round 1
Johnson TKO Round 2
Cerrone TKO Round 2
Magny DEC
Garbrandt TKO Round 2
Means DEC
Lobov TKO Round 1
Pennington DEC
Covington DEC
Markos DEC
Hyun-Gyu DEC
Vettori TKO Round 1
Vera TKO Round 2



James' Picks

Diaz SUB Round 4
Johnson DEC
Cerrone DEC
Magny SUB Round 2
Garbrandt TKO Round 1
Means TKO Round 2
Avila DEC
Pennington DEC
Covington SUB Round 2
Markos DEC
Hyun-Gyu TKO Round 1
Vettori DEC
Vera DEC
 

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UFC 202 Predictions:
from UFC VIP Experience




Darragh’s Predictions:

I’ll warn you, Darragh, one of our Marketing Coordinators, is a bit biased. He’s from Dublin, Ireland. He earned his BA in Journalism from Griffith College Dublin, which led him to various roles covering sports in Ireland. As an avid sports fan and our resident Irish expert, Darragh is an authority on all things Conor McGregor —at least in my eyes.


Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz:
If McGregor doesn't put him down in two rounds, he won't win. Expect a large Irish contingent at the fight who will undoubtedly be representing proudly in a semi-sober state.


Rick Story vs Donald Cerrone:
Cerrone will win, but I would like to see him get punched around.Look for Cowboy to move in and get the job done quickly. This is a big fight for Cerrone, and I do expect him to get the job done in the latter stages after some Story resistance, but would not be opposed to seeing him getting punched around the octagon.


Anthony Johnson vs Glover Texeira:
Johnson's fight won't go past the first round. Johnson's quickness will be too much for Texeira.




Mark’s Predictions:

Mark is one of our Senior Graphic designers, a former MMA fighter, and my personal go-to on all things UFC related. He’s been to over 25 UFC fights! He watches almost every fight and proudly sports a UFC Fight Club shirt; if that doesn’t say “I know what I’m talking about,” I don’t know what does!


Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz:
McGregor is going to pick-n-choose his punches which will slow the fight down. Diaz can take a beating to close the space. We are looking at a 3rd round submission, Diaz wins.


Rick Story vs Donald Cerrone:
While Story is a monster, Cerrone has kicks for days and knows how to keep his distance. If we see Cowboy step in close, it will be just to shoot Story and go for an early submission. Story will have to win this fast. If it goes to the 3rd, Cerrone wins by submission.


Anthony Johnson vs Glover Texeira:
Teixeira knows Johnson has quick hands and loads of knockout power. We will see nice exchanges in the 1st. Johnson will be aggressive the entire match. I agree with Darragh, you are looking at a 1st round KO or TKO - Winner will be “Humble Rumble.”
 

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Opening Numbers ... NOT Current Odds




Nate Diaz +100
Conor McGregor -130
Over 2.5 +100
Under 2.5 -130


Glover Teixeira +190
Anthony Johnson -270
Over 1.5 -135
Under 1.5 -105


Rick Story +140
Donald Cerrone -180
Over 2.5 -150
Under 2.5 +110


Mike Perry +235
Hyun Gyu Lim -315
Over 1.5 -155
Under 1.5 +115



PRELIMINARY CARD

Takeya Mizugaki +220
Cody Garbrandt -300
Over 1.5 -190
Under 1.5 +150


Elizabeth Phillips +190
Raquel Pennington -270
Over 2.5 -190
Under 2.5 +150


Chris Avila +130
Artem Lobov -170
Over 1.5 -185
Under 1.5 +145


Cortney Casey +175
Randa Markos -245
Over 2.5 -190
Under 2.5 +150


Lorenz Larkin +170
Neil Magny -230
Over 2.5 -190
Under 2.5 +150


Max Griffin +180
Colby Covington -260
Over 2.5 -190
Under 2.5 +150


Alberto Uda +150
Marvin Vettori -190
Over 1.5 -150
Under 1.5 +115
 

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UFC 202 stacked with highly accurate strikers

None more so than McGregor

And Rumble hits hardest



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about the same ... This sport has been almost impossible to handicap in 2016. Nowadays (besides Mighty Mouse) Anybody can beat Anybody
 

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Early Look at the Fight Pass Prelims for UFC 202
from MMA Odds Breaker



Getting things started for the UFC Fight Pass prelims for UFC 202 will be a welterweight match-up between Italian promotional newcomer Marvin Vettori and Brazil’s Alberto Uda, who is coming off a second round knockout loss to Jake Collier in his Octagon debut. This is an excellent stylistic match-up that is likely to result in a finish and get the evening going on a high-note.

Following the first official defeat of his professional mixed martial arts career, Uda aims to get back into the win column by taking out the Italian. Back to back first round finishes of Cage Warriors veteran Jack Mason and UFC veteran Igor Araujo earned Vettori a shot in the UFC and he plans to make the most of it next Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Colby Covington will be looking to make it two in a row for himself inside the Octagon when he takes on UFC newcomer Max Griffin. The 30 year old enjoys a two fight winning streak into this bout and hopes to extend that to three against Covington.

The featured bout for the Fight Pass prelims for UFC 202 will be a welterweight showdown between red-hot Neil Magny and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Lorenz “The Monsoon” Larkin. This is arguably the best fight on the entire fight card and will be a legitimate contender for the evening’s ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus.

After seeing an impressive seven fight winning streak snapped by Demian Maia, Magny has bounced back strong with a pair of decision victories over Erick Silva and Gastelum, respectively, followed by a third round TKO of Hector Lombard in his most recent outing. Now riding a nice three fight winning streak, Magny hopes to stretch it to four when he takes on Riverside, CA’s Larkin.

Larkin took this bout on short notice, replacing Magny’s original scheduled opponent, the veteran “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim, who was removed from the card due to injury. He is making a quick return to action following a decision win over Jorge Masvidal just two months ago at UFC Fight Night 88 in Las Vegas. He plans to get through Magny and crack the rankings of the UFC’s welterweight division.

This 170-pound barn burner will surely get the UFC FIght Pass subscriptions up for the month of August. This is an important bout for both men, who will look to leave it all inside the Octagon. In this pairing of Magny and Larkin, fight fans know they’re in for a treat– a treat of war.
 

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UFC 202 Newcomer Breakdown: Max Griffin


Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at newcomer Max Griffin as he takes on American Top Team wrestling specialist Colby Covington at UFC 202 in Las Vegas, Nevada.


Max “Pain” Griffin

Hometown: Sacramento, California
Age: 30
Height: 6’0”
Reach:
Weight Class: Welterweight
Camp: Marinoble’s Martial Arts
Career Record: 12-2
Key Wins: Fernando Gonzalez, David Mitchell
Key Losses: Chidi Njokuani


Background

Griffin had his first sniff of the UFC losing in the opening round of The Ultimate Fighter 16. He’s had decent success outside of the UFC beating Bellator’s Fernando Gonzalez and former UFC fighter David Mitchell. Griffin also holds a black belt in Bok Fu.

Strengths

•Physically strong
•One punch knockout power
•Aggressive, brawling striker
•Good ground and pound from top position

Weaknesses

•Relies too much on physical gifts as opposed to technique
•Doesn’t combine strikes well
•Needs to work on striking defense
•Vulnerable to takedowns and giving up his back



GradeGriffin.png



Match-up against Colby Covington

A tough debut matchup for Max Griffin against Colby Covington. Griffin is a good athlete with above average knock out. He’s a threat early on in this fight, but if he’s unable to hurt his opponent early and get the knockout it’s going to be a long night. Covington is a very good wrestler and I expect him to be able to score takedowns in this fight with ease. Covington should be able to control this fight from top decision and earn a decision win.

UFC Ceiling

Max Griffin is predominantly a brawler with good knockout power. He’s able to pressure fighters on the feet and take control in brawling type fights. He’s vulnerable on the ground and can be controlled by even decent wrestlers on the mat. While he’s a threat on the feet, he’s going to struggle in the UFC as wrestling is such an important facet of success in MMA.
 

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UFC 202 Newcomer Breakdown: Marvin Vettori


Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at newcomer Marvin Vettori as he takes on Brazilian middleweight Alberto Uda at UFC 202 in Las Vegas, Nevada.


Marvin Vettori

Hometown: Mezzogorona, Italy
Age: 22
Height: 6’0”
Reach:
Weight Class: Middleweight
Camp: Stabile Fight Team
Career Record: 10-2
Key Wins: Igor Araujo, Jack Mason
Key Losses: None


Background

A Stabile Fight Team product out of Italy, Marvin Vettori has fought solid competition in Venator beating former UFC welterweight Igor Araujo as well as European veteran Jack Mason. Vettori also spends part of his time training at Kings MMA in California alongside the likes of Rafael dos Anjos and Fabricio Werdum.

Strengths

•Physically strong
•Does his best work in the clinch
•Underrated wrestler

Weaknesses

•Moving up from welterweight to middleweight
•Too hittable at range


GradeVettori.png



Matchup with Alberto Uda

Difficult fight to call between Italian Marvin Vettori and Brazilian Alberto Uda. Both fighters are rather poor from range, but are at their best working in the clinch. Uda is a little longer which likely gives him the advantage in the clinch, but he certainly seems more vulnerable to getting hit and being hurt by strikes. Vettori is the more physical fighter and will have success if he decides to take the fight to the ground. This fight likely comes down who buckles first in the clinch exchanges. Vettori is a better athlete, younger, and more durable. I think that’s ultimately the edge in this bout. Look of Vettori to win by a TKO from clinch strikes or after wearing Uda out to win by submission in round two.

UFC Ceiling

Marvin Vettori is an interesting add to the UFC roster. He’s done well against solid competition in Venator which makes me believe he can have success in the UFC. He’s a young fighter who appears pretty resilient. Training with Kings MMA should certainly enhance his abilities especially in sharpening his striking technique. Moving up in weight won’t be easy for Vettori, but in a division with very few young fighters this is a good opportunity for the Italian fighter.
 

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