The night UFC fans have been waiting for finally is here.
Featherweight champion Conor McGregor will headline a stacked UFC 196 card Saturday night in Las Vegas, where he will fight up two weight classes to face Nate Diaz as a welterweight in the main event. Joining him on the main card is women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm, who will return to the octagon for the first time since her shocking upset over Ronda Rousey. Holm’s title will be up for grabs in the co-main event against Miesha Tate.
The main event will kick off at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view, but fight fans will have plenty of preliminary bouts to hold them over until then.
Be sure to check back here for a live blog of Holm-Tate and McGregor-Diaz with round-by-round analysis. You also can check out live results for every fight below and view a live stream of the event here.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz Live Round-By-Round Commentary
Pre-Fight: Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz both have made their way to the octagon, which means it’s time for the main event. Will McGregor dominate like he usually does, or can Diaz pull off a shocking upset? Let the madness begin.
Round 1: Both fighters landed big jabs in the opening round, but McGregor appeared to get the best of Diaz. And Diaz had the wounds to prove it, as he was busted open around his right eye. Diaz tried a takedown late in the round, but not much came of it.
Round 2: What. Just. HAPPENED?!
Diaz scored the upset of a lifetime over McGregor with a submission victory at the 4:12 mark in the second round. That came after the bout clearly shifted around the middle of the round, as Diaz landed some crucial blows to McGregor’s head and got the Irishman to the mat.
Holly Holm vs. Miesha Tate Live Round-By-Round Commentary
Pre-Fight: Holm and Tate are in the octagon. Who will leave with the UFC women’s bantamweight championship around their waist? We’re about to find out.
Round 1: Tate spent most of the first round reading her opponent and taking a cautious approach. Holm got in some side kicks, although Tate managed to catch one and land a quick jab of her own.
Round 2: The challenger earned the first takedown of the bout. Once Tate got Holm on the mat, she landed multiple blows and kept the challenger down for most of the round. Tate applied a choke and appeared to be seconds away from a submission win, but Holm defended just enough until the five minutes were up.
Round 3: Both fighters took a cautious approach for most of the third round, setting up a crucial final minute. Holm landed a few leg kicks down the stretch, and she deflected a Tate takedown attempt.
Round 4: Tate attempted to take down Holm twice, but the champion successfully defended both tries. Tate’s cautious approach is making Holm be the aggressor, which she appears to be settling into as the fight goes on. Holm also got in some combo-jabs as the round wore on.
Round 5: We have a new champion.
Tate scored a takedown on Holm, and she got on the former champion’s back with a choke locked in. The second time was the charm for Tate, who won the women’s bantamweight championship with a rear-naked choke at the 3:30 mark.
UFC 196 Main Card Fights (10 p.m.)
Nate Diaz def. Conor McGregor, submission (Round 2, 4:12)
Miesha Tate def. Holly Holm, submission (Round 5, 3:30)
Ilir Latifi def. Gian Villante, unanimous decision (30-27, 20-27, 30-27)
Corey Anderson def. Tom Lawlor, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Amanda Nunes def. Valentina Shevchenko, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)
FOX Sports 1 Prelims (8 p.m.)
Siyar Bahadurzada def. Brandon Thatch, submission (Round 3, 4:11)
Nordine Taleb def. Erick Silva, knockout (Round 2, 1:34)
Vitor Miranda def. Marcelo Guimaraes, TKO (Round 2, 1:09)
Darren Elkins def. Chas Skelly, unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 30-26)
UFC Fight Pass Prelims (6:30 p.m.)
Diego Sanchez def. Jim Miller, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jason Saggo def. Justin Salas, TKO (Round 1, 4:31)
Teruto Ishihara def. Julian Erosa, knockout (Round 2, 0:34)
Click to watch UFC 196 live >>
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
