The winds of change started swirling early Tuesday for UFC 196.
First, UFC lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos was forced out his fight with featherweight champion Conor McGregor due to a broken foot.
The final decision on a replacement was eventually announced late Tuesday with Nate Diaz stepping in, allowing the UFC to keep McGregor on the card, March 5. Interesting to note that this fight will be at 170 pounds, marking the first time McGregor has fought at welterweight.
UFC President Dana White made the announcement live on ESPN SportsCenter.
Diaz and McGregor brings together two of the company’s best trash talkers.
Diaz had a profanity-laced tirade directed at McGregor after Diaz defeated Michael Johnson in December.
“We figured this would be the most exciting fight, this is the fight that Conor really wanted,” White said. “A lot of people wanted to fight Conor McGregor, but Diaz really wanted it
“We called Jose Aldo, Jose Aldo turned the fight down. We called Frankie Edgar, Frankie Edgar turned the fight down. Those are two guys everybody was talking about. BJ Penn, Anthony Pettis, a lot of guys wanted this fight. We ended up with Nate Diaz because we felt it is a fight the fans wanted to see.”
The co-main event stays the same with UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm facing challenger Miesha Tate.
As for Dos Anjos, he’s looking at a 6-8 month recovery period.
Nate Diaz steps up to face Conor McGregor at UFC 196
Post a Comment