Aug 7, 2016

Main Card (PPV)-10 P.M. ET

Nate Diaz (#4 LW) vs Conor McGregor (C-FW)-WW Bout
Anthony Johnson (#1 LHW) vs Glover Teixeira (#2 LHW)
Rick Story (#9 WW) vs Donald Cerrone (#14 WW)
Hyun Gyu Lim vs Mike Perry
Tim Means vs Sabah Homasi

Prelims (FS1)-8 ET

Cody Garbrandt (#8 BW) vs Takeya Mizugaki (#11 BW)
Raquel Pennington (#8 WBW) vs Elizabeth Phillips
Artem Lobov vs Chris Avila
Randa Markos (#14 WSW) vs Courtney Casey

Prelims (Fight Pass)-6:30 ET

Neil Magny (#7 WW) vs Lorenz Larkin
Colby Covington vs Max Griffin
Marvin Vettori vs Alberto Uda


Not the official lineup, but once they find Tim Means a new opponent it should look something like that.

 

Aug 7, 2016

Peter Queally has offered to fight Means

 

Aug 7, 2016

Pretty excited for this, not sure if I'll hit up a bar or just stream it. The bar I went to for UFC 201 was actually not that crowded but I assume it'll be way more packed for 202.

 

Aug 7, 2016

Yea i assume they will be looking for a bigger name, like a Masvidal or something. They showed a visual of the Main card during last nights show and only had 4 fights, so i assume Means will be on the Main Card. And with Mike Perry already being a debuting late replacement, I doubt they have 2 fights like that being Main Card on the Biggest PPV of the year.

 

Aug 10, 2016

TUF 21 Vet Sabah Homasi in to fight Means, after his KO win this Friday in Titan FC.



Also the Guangyou/Vera fight was moved to the Vancouver card after Guangyou failed a drug test for Clenbuterol.

"Consistent with numerous prior reported cases globally, the issue of illicit administration of clenbuterol to animals destined for food production can result in, under specific conditions, a positive sample from an athlete," the USADA release stated.

Guangyou, 34, tested positive for only trace amounts of clenbuterol. USADA said it reviewed the evidence of the case — Guangyou's whereabouts, dietary habits and the lab reports showing "very low parts per billion concentrations" of the substance — and determined that it very likely came from tainted meat. Guangyou will not face a suspension.

"While the risk of consuming clenbuterol-tainted meat and testing positive for an athlete is extremely small, consistent with past athlete advisories, USADA reminds athletes to use the utmost care if eating meat in known high risk countries, including Mexico and China," the USADA release stated. "In line with WADA recommendations, USADA will continue to assess the presence of clenbuterol in an athlete's sample on a case by case basis, taking into account all the evidence supporting the likelihood of such contamination."

lol Tainted meat, the Frank Mir defense.

 

Aug 10, 2016

I'm so f---ing excited for this card. It falls on the same day as my birthday so I'm throwing an all day party to get prepared. You guys are all invited if you live in the Chicago burbs

 

Aug 10, 2016

Last I checked Diaz was a slight underdog. If I was a betting man (and i'm not after losing £2000 on the rockhold fight) I'd put quite a lot on Diaz. Conor absolutely has a decent shot but yeah those odds are pretty silly.

Conor is a serious guy tho... he's def gonna have a different mentality this time around and not break/be surprised if Diaz just eats his shots. Probably won't load up as much and save energy etc. I'm just not sure he can keep that constant forward pressure up for 5 rounds. I can't really see a scenario that Conor wins other than a KO... and I struggle to see that too. f--- knows tho.... Bisping flatlined Rockhold

Anyone got any predictions? @Kon @redsoxx @Charlie @Smitty

I'm feeling a Diaz finish again. Possibly a submission. I kinda want Conor to win tho cause I like the whole MMA superstar thing. Like both guys tho so it's all good. More than anything... I just hope Conor makes a good fight of it.

 

Aug 10, 2016

I have no doubt that it's gonna be a great fight.

I can see Conor getting the W via decision if he can find a way to neautrialize Nate's striking. Doesn't Nate fight with a stance that leaves him vulnerable to leg kicks (effectively killing his punching power)? Pretty sure somebody else did that to him with great results but can't remember who it was against. If that's him and I'm not mixing him up with somebody else, I can see McGregor taking a more well rounded approach instead of just trading punches with him like last fight. Wouldn't be surprised by a KO/TKO win either but I'm not counting on it.

 

Aug 10, 2016

I think Conor wins but I don't really have any logical reason behind it lol, I just feel like there's gonna be a part 3.

Sometime before 202 I gotta go back and watch their first fight then I can probably give better analysis.

But yeah honestly I wouldn't be too surprised either way but if I had to pick I'd go with Conor.

 

Aug 10, 2016

Yeah man Benson Henderson and RDA used a ton of leg kicks and wrestling too. Not sure I remember Conor ever even throwing a leg kick tho tbh. He doesn't have the wrestling either. It's just a really bad match up for Conor I think. I don't think it means Conor can't beat other top 155 pounders. s---, I think he has a better chance against RDA and Alvarez.

 

Aug 10, 2016

UFC 209: Diaz vs McGregor 3 coming live on PPV in a bar near you

 

Aug 10, 2016

I'm taking Conor without any logic other then Nate has taken a lot of punishment over his career. I think its either Conor by KO early or Nate by anything he wants. I think the longer the fight goes the more it favors Nate.

I want to believe that Conor took this rematch because he overlooked Nate the first time and legitimately thinks he can take him out this time. I also think that not taking on as many media obligations and passing them off to Nate, might have a positive effect on him mentally more then anything (and we all know how much Diaz bros hate that s---). IDGAF what anyone says this is a risky a--- fight for Conor because if he loses again it significantly damages his whole image and ability to trash talk (Edgar would have been a risk too but an easier fight imo). Yea he'll still be the FW champ but the casual fans he s----d in will lose interest.

 

Aug 12, 2016

I'm off work next Saturday and didn't even ask for it, h--- yeah

 

Aug 12, 2016

this is an awesome read, another one of Shaun Al-Shatti's extensive articles

http://www.mmafighting.com/2016/8/12/12424062/heart-of-the-209-ufc-202-nate-diaz

 

Aug 15, 2016

Feel like the rest of this card is flying under the radar. Hyped about Rumble/Glover, Cowboy/Story, Garbrandt/Mizugaki and Magny/Larkin.

Even Means and Ace Lim although, they should both win easily. I dunno why they didnt just have them fight each other.

 

Aug 15, 2016

That's the McGregor effect at work lol

 

Aug 15, 2016

McGregor takes the W here, no question.

 

Aug 15, 2016

Why?

 

Aug 15, 2016

I don't think I've ever seen him more focused or prepared for a fight. He usually drops people in his division and he just kind of toys with them and has fun. He looks extraordinarily locked in right. Just seems so mentally and physically tough right now, that I just don't see anyway he loses. Plus, if he takes another L, though it diminishes nothing to people who are legitimate UFC fans, he'll lose a lot of fans who'll get off his hype train and it'll affect his future legacy. People like him thrive and usually step-up to the challenge under pressure like that.

 

Aug 15, 2016

What's this based on tho? Did you see him getting punched in the stomach at the open workout and bet the house? lol