UFC 202 Preview

Let's talk about what to expect at UFC 202, and just for kicks lets talk about the two big fights for the night: Glover Teixeira vs Anthony Johnson and Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor 2. We four heavy bangers getting ready to throw down in the center of what could be a massive war. Now Rick Story and Donald Cerrone are on the card as well and it will be a fun fight to watch, but I would like to focus on how the main event and co-main event could stack up.

Glover Teixeira vs Anthony Johnson

Remember when Anthony "Rumble Johnson was at 170, struggling to make weight but still had the power to do this:

Pretty scary to think that is just pure power in the kick he can deliver. Well a few years ago he was shacking so bad from cutting so hard he was cut by the UFC. They pulled him from the card and released him because he could not stay healthy. Then he decided he wanted to fight for himself and not for someone else. A couple of years ago he made he return to the UFC and was weighing 205, closer to his bodyweight at what he walks around at. He is healthier and just destroying those who gets in his way. Don't believe me:

That is Alexander Gustafsson (you may remember him as the guy who sent Jon "Bones" Jones to the hospital), a former title contender and to many as the man who still can win a championship. Anthony dominated this man and finished the fight. Now Anthony is still struggling with this take down defense game and Daniel Cormier was able to exploit that. Since UFC 197, Johnson has been on a two fight win streak. It is still insane to see the way Anthony can throw punches and connect:

It is almost as if Anthony can predict where you want to try and block and rip through your guard. But, that does not mean he is not running into a wall. Glover is clearly no push over as well, and to have a person training you like Chuck Liddell, you must have something special.

Glover has some dirty hands to throw as well, remember:

Glover has beaten his fair share of people as well. People who at one time were considered to be title chasers, Ryan Bader can attest to the power and defense of Glover:

Glover is riding a 3 win fight streak coming into this fight with Rumble. His last three fights have ended with a submission of OSP, TKO of Cummins, and KO of Sugar Rashad Evans.

Something is going to give in this fight. Both fighters have endurance issues but tons of heart and refuse to lose, I expect to see some good punches to counter punches going on in this fight. But I am curious to see how Glover's chin will be versus the bombs from Rumble. On the other hand, it will be interesting to see how long Rumble can throw punches for versus some one who can endure punishment like Glover can.

In this fight I have to take Anthony "RUMBLE" Johnson by TKO in the 1st Round.

Nate Diaz vs Conor McGregor 2 

"He had 11 days to prepare for Nate"; "He didn't have a proper gameplan"; "He could have beat him with a full training camp"...these were some of the excuses I have heard from McGregor fans. These were the same fans who said "Diaz is a stoner and can't win this fight"; "Diaz is a loser who can't match the boxing of McGregor". Listen when you go up two weight classes in boxing, yes you can make that same claim but this is Mixed Martial Arts and there are a lot of weight to give up, especially in the UFC. McGregor has a lot of work to do, he has a limited take down game, very limited ground game, and even more limited submission defense game. These are still factors you have to figure in this fight, remember the fight ended this way:

And what made things worse was the fight prior, we watched Holly Holms fight with everything in her body not to tap out. But, McGregor gave up his back and a "fighting champion" tapped out immediately. So let us look at this fight in a different manner, yes Conor now has a full fight camp, can learn from his mistakes, can clean up his boxing, and even bring in some help to defend in a submission world. On the flip side you can see Diaz learning from his fight as well, taking the fight on 11 days notice (while training for a Triathlon), working on his boxing, and ground game.

The way McGregor wins this fight is by keeping the fight close and utilizing his kicks, yes McGregor was able to hit and cut open Diaz; but to anyone who heard me on WNST 1570AM during the Sunday Sports Show, that is like winning a toy in a happy meal. Diaz has so much scar tissue in his face that it would be an anomaly if Diaz wasn't bleeding. If McGregor can use his kicks and keep his boxing clean with enough punches, yes he can win the fight. Now McGregor was working on lowering his body to fight RDS, so this might be his chance to show people he can battle with any fighter. However the exchanges between Diaz and McGregor did not favor McGregor at all:

Diaz has an ability to bring fighters to his level and finish them. If you get involved with the trash talking that Diaz throws out, you have already lost the fight. He is an expert and manipulating the field to his advantage. Only a handful of fighters have been able to ignore him and win the fight. Diaz is now ready for anything McGregor has to throw at him, in the previous match up Diaz was at the same disadvantage that McGregor was at. I still have this fight in the same respect as the last time I called this fight. Diaz is going to win this fight, and he is going to do it in a fashion that most people are not going to know what McGregor was thinking demanding a rematch. It also seems as if McGregor is taking his eye off of Diaz and focusing on the WWE a little bit too much and should be focus up.

Diaz by TKO.

What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments section below, also you can follow me on twitter @cm_miller85 or @getthekoblog. Also catch me on WNST 1570AM Sunday Sports Voice (www.wnst.net), Thursdays between 3PM to 5PM Eastern Standard Time. You can also email me your questions or your ideas for what I should cover at getheko@gmail.com

Don't forget to also check out Cat on "The Middle Flipper" fun stories from her about her aquatic career.