The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 196: “McGregor vs Diaz.” The event was headlined by a welterweight grudge match between UFC Featherweight Champion “The Notorious” Conor McGregor and the outspoken Nate Diaz.
Also on tonight’s card, UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm made the first defence of her 135-pound title against top-ranked contender Miesha “Cupcake” Tate in the co-main event. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for tonight’s UFC 196 card.
Nate Diaz vs “The Notorious” Conor McGregor
Round 1:
The fight began with an exchange of lead right hands and McGregor connected with an overhand left. Diaz jabbed and McGregor cracked him with two more lefts. More jabs landed for Diaz and he followed with a right hook. McGregor missed with a spinning wheel kick and Diaz countered with one-twos. A nice uppercut scored for McGregor and he cut Diaz near the right eye with a left hook. Diaz remained effective with his jab, but he ate another big left hand. Diaz tripped McGregor, but McGregor swept and wound up in Diaz’s guard. He dropped punches from the top until the bell. 10-9 McGregor.
Round 2:
McGregor landed a solid left hook to the liver in round two and he kept the pressure on with combinations. A spinning back kick missed, but McGregor landed a left hook and an uppercut. McGregor began to taunt and Diaz snapped his head back with jabs and one-twos. He rocked McGregor with a flurry and backed him up with more punches. McGregor wobbled and Diaz put the pressure on with more punches in close. Diaz hurt him again and McGregor shot in for a desperation takedown. Diaz countered by taking his back and he locked on a rear-naked choke that forced McGregor to submit.
Winner: Nate Diaz by Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:12 of round two. He improves to 19-10-0.
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Miesha “Cupcake” Tate vs Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm
Round 1:
Tate kept her distance early on and Holm threw a side kick to the body. Tate caught a second kick and landed a counter hook on the break. A three-punch flurry backed Tate up and Holm followed with a left cross. She landed more quick combinations and Tate’s left cheek swelled up. Both women landed hooks in close and Tate narrowly blocked a head kick in time. 10-9 Holm.
Round 2:
Tate scored a takedown in round two and landed on top in side control. Holm got back to half-guard, but Tate landed short elbows. More elbows and hammerfists scored for Tate and she kept Holm pinned down on the mat. She isolated Holm’s right arm and rained down hard elbow strikes. Holm tried to explode out, but she gave up her back in the process. Tate locked on a tight rear-naked choke, but Holm defended well and she made it to the bell. 10-8 Tate.
Round 3:
Holm landed a grazing head kick in the opening minute of round three and she followed with a quick one-two. Tate pressed forward with a leg kick, but ate two hard punches in return. Holm stuffed a takedown and threw another head kick. She stayed on the outside and landed one-twos and leg kicks. Holm countered Tate’s forward momentum by landing a side kick to the ribs and she shrugged off another late takedown attempt. 10-9 Holm.
Round 4:
Holm fought off another takedown attempt from Tate in the fourth round and the fighters briefly traded knees in a clinch against the cage. Holm picked her shots with single punches and occasional side kicks. She leapt in with one-twos and sprawled out to defend against a deep takedown attempt from Tate. Holm landed punches on the way up and backed Tate up with a lunging flurry. Holm finished the round strong with a front kick to the face and a four-punch combination. 10-9 Holm.
Round 5:
The final round began with an exchange of leg and body kicks. Holm backed Tate up with a side kick, but Tate pressed forward again in search of a takedown. She managed to secure a clinch, but Holm broke free. Tate landed a front kick and Holm answered with a spinning backfist and a right hand. Tate dragged her down into back control and locked on another rear-naked choke. Holm stood and tried to slam Tate forward, but it only tightened the choke and Holm was rendered unconscious.
Winner: Miesha Tate by Technical Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 3:30 of round five. She improves to 18-5-0 and becomes the new UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion.
Ilir “The Sledgehammer” Latifi vs Gian Villante
Round 1:
Villante opened the action with leg kicks and Latifi clinched after landing a flurry. Villante broke free and landed more kicks, but Latifi caught one and cracked him with a counter left hand. Villante retreated to the cage and circled away. Latifi tried unsuccessfully to take the fight to the mat and he rushed forward with a lunging flurry. Villante created space and landed a body kick, then followed with a head kick attempt before time expired. Close round. 10-9 Villante.
Round 2:
Villante stuffed a takedown and threw a head kick in round two, but Latifi blocked it and he slammed Villante down to the canvas. Villante stood and landed a chopping leg kick before Latifi clinched again. The fighters separated and Villante threw looping right hooks. A spinning back kick partially landed for Latifi and he followed with a second one. Villante stuffed another takedown, but Latifi slammed him down just before the bell. 10-9 Latifi.
Round 3:
Latifi continued to work for takedowns in the final round and the fighters traded sparse strikes in the brief exchanges. Latifi missed with a spinning hook kick, but he landed a hard right hook. A hard left hand wobbled Villante, but Latifi was content to continue to strike from a distance. Villante grabbed the cage, but Latifi still managed to slam him down to the mat in the dying seconds. 10-9 Latifi.
Winner: Ilir Latifi by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 12-4-0, 1 NC.
Corey “Beastin’ 25/8” Anderson vs “Filthy” Tom Lawlor
Round 1:
Lawlor rocked Anderson with big punches in the opening seconds, but Anderson survived the onslaught and he regained his footing. Anderson landed kicks to Lawlor’s legs and stayed on the outside. Lawlor landed left and right hooks in an exchange, but Anderson cracked him with a counter right. He snuck in a short left hook in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 Lawlor.
Round 2:
Lawlor knocked Anderson down in the second round, but allowed him to stand and pressed forward with quick punches. Anderson landed a leg kick and a right cross. Lawlor backed him up with a left hand and the fighters traded rights. Anderson ducked into a knee, but he recovered immediately and tagged Lawlor with right hooks. Close round. 10-9 Lawlor, barely.
Round 3:
Anderson scored a takedown early in the final round and he worked from the top in side control. Short punches landed for Anderson, but little transpired on the mat and referee John McCarthy stood the fighters up after Lawlor got back to half-guard. On the feet, Anderson landed occasional strikes before the bell. 10-9 Anderson.
Winner: Corey Anderson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) after three rounds. He improves to 8-1-0.
Amanda “Lioness” Nunes vs Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko
Round 1:
The fighters traded cautious leg kicks in the opening two minutes and Nunes attempted a head kick. Shevchenko ducked under and countered with a left cross. Nunes continued to target Shevchenko’s lead leg with kicks and both women landed hard three-punch combos. Shevchenko offered little offence and Nunes scored with a solid body kick. She took Shevchenko down and landed a slashing elbow. Shevchenko kicked her off before the bell. 10-9 Nunes.
Round 2:
Nunes landed another body kick in the second round and she took Shevchenko down into half-guard. Nunes postured up and dropped hammerfists and punches from the top. Hard elbows scored for Nunes and she opened a cut above Shevchenko’s left eye. Shevchenko scrambled back to her feet for a split second before she was taken back down again. Nunes moved to mount and then took Shevchenko’s back. She locked on a neck crank and a rear-naked choke, but Shevchenko held on and wound up on top as time expired. 10-8 Nunes.
Round 3:
Shevchenko stunned Nunes with a knee and an elbow in round three, and she took Nunes down into side control. Shevchenko punished Nunes with elbows until Nunes escaped to her feet. Hard knees landed for Shevchenko and Nunes slowed down. Shevchenko landed knees and uppercuts in close and she followed with a one-two after Nunes broke away. Nunes knocked her down with a leg kick, but Shevchenko stood and pressed forward with punches. She slammed Nunes on her face before the bell. 10-9 Shevchenko.
Winner: Amanda Nunes by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-28) after three rounds. She improves to 12-4-0.
(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)