Conor McGregor's toughest opponent may just be himself....

Conor McGregor’s toughest fight at UFC196 may just be with his own ego.

Fresh from a 13 second victory over Jose Aldo in December, which saw him claim the UFC Featherweight title, the McGregor ego would be rather swelled right now.

There’s no question he’s the man that UFC fans come to see.

Whilst two of his previous three pay-per-views have seen last minute replacements called upon, the events have still managed to do a solid buy rate on McGregor’s appeal alone.

At UFC196 he was scheduled for a shot at the Lightweight Title held by Rafael Dos Anjos, and if victorious the Irishman would have become the first man in the history of the organisation to reign in two divisions consecutively.  

But like Jose Aldo, Dos Anjos pulled out just days from the fight, citing a foot injury.

This meant the UFC had to hastily arrange a replacement, and eventually we found out Nate Diaz would be that man.

Diaz, currently ranked #5 in the Lightweight division certainly gets people talking.

He may not do it as charming, as eloquent or TV friendly as Conor McGregor, but he knows how to create buzz all the same.

Diaz was Conor McGregor, before there was a Conor McGregor. 

He was brash, outspoken, a rule breaker, but he hasn't always put the pieces together inside the Octagon. 

Diaz is a guy McGregor says was getting paid just $20,000 ‘show money before his date at UFC196.

Talk is he’ll earn a cool $1 million just for showing up on Sunday.

For Diaz to take a fight of this magnitude, with only days to prepare, there had to be some conditions attached, and they weren’t all financial.

Weight was an important factor as well.

Given the short notice, it’s understandable that Diaz would not be ‘on weight'.

The UFC was happy for Diaz to shift to a contracted weight of 160 pounds, after the fighter claimed he couldn’t make the Lightweight limit of 155 given the short prep.

McGregor swiftly removed those excuses from the Diaz camp, saying he’d fight him at 170 pounds, the Welterweight limit.

There goes that McGregor ego again.

The Irishman weighed in at 145 pounds (65.8kg) against Jose Aldo, yet will move up two weight divisions for Diaz, where the American could weigh as much as 77kg, and perhaps even bigger come fight night.

Diaz is known for his takedown ability, strong wrestling skills and is one of the best Jiu-Jitsu experts in the organisation – areas where people still have question marks around McGregor.

The added weight should assist Diaz, as an increased weight aids a ground expert, rather than a fleet footed striker like McGregor. 

The Irishman has destroyed fighters with his stand up alone and relying on that skill set should get the job done on Sunday against Diaz.

The smart move would be to take the fight into the later rounds; given its unlikely Diaz has the required conditioning to go the distance.

But that isn’t what McGregor is known for.

He wants to make a statement and he wants to do it quickly.

The Featherweight champion is already talking about perhaps staying at Welterweight and setting up a title shot at UFC200 in July against Robbie Lawler.

All this despite never before having fought at the weight and his only tune up being a blown up Lightweight with a limited camp.

Did I mention the sizeable ego?

To be fair, McGregor has backed up everything he’s said he was going to do so far, but if you take your eye of the prize for just a second in this game, grand plans can come unstuck.  

Just ask Ronda Rousey.

Conor McGregor should be too good for Nate Diaz at UFC 196 on Sunday.

But some fighters are that good, that only they can beat themselves.

McGregor must keep his ego in check, or it could bite, when he least expects it.

ADAM SANTAROSSA

Ronda Rousey rocked by perfect Holm

Copyright: Zuffa 

Holly Holm is the new UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion courtesy of her team developing the perfect game plan, and it started long before she entered the Octagon.

The ploy was to make Ronda Rousey fight the fight Holly Holm wanted, and not the one that best matched her strengths.

For a long time Rousey hasn’t felt like she has been receiving the plaudits for her boxing skills, with many people seeing her as someone who wins fights solely on the basis of her judo ability.

The Holm fight was her chance to show she wasn’t a one trick pony.

But having an ego like Rousey’s can be a dangerous thing and it came back to bite her at UFC 193.

The execution of the Holm plan was evident at the weigh-in, from Rousey’s charge across the stage to Holly, along with a clearly agitated post weigh-in  interview with Joe Rogan.

Ronda was clearly rattled.

That’s exactly what the Holm camp wanted. 

They didn’t want a calm and methodical Rousey, one that would wear down Holm, eventually getting on the inside, taking her down and finding a way to finish.

They wanted a seriously pissed off Rousey. 

One that would ensure the fight would be a stand-up fight. One whose ego wanted to show she could out box a 19-time Boxing champion. 

They wanted one with a chip on her shoulder, and it was the one they got.   

Ronda Rousey has blown through opponents in recent times. Her last three fights prior to UFC 193 lasted all of a 90 seconds. She wanted to do the same to Holly Holm, in fact, she had to, and it has almost become the Rousey gimmick.

But for an established fighter like Holm, a relentlessly come forward fighter like Rousey is gold. 

Their chin is easy to find.

Rousey has gone through countless opponents because they have done the same.

But Holm was smarter.

 She used the distance, fought at range, catching Rousey as she rushed forward time and time again. With every punch, life drained out of the UFC star, then a sweetly timed kick knocked Rousey to the canvas and the damage was done.

The poster child of the UFC was downed and we had a new Bantamweight champion, and the world was stunned.

Whilst Rousey has quickly made herself a Superstar, there’s been some who have questioned her climb.

Some said she was one of the greatest fighters we will ever see, others questioned the quality of fighter put in front of her.

After her most recent win over Bethe Correira in Brazil, many said the UFC had simply run out of dance partners for the American.  

Every great champion is defined by their greatest adversaries – Ali had Frazier and Foreman, Mayweather had Pacquiao and others, Ronda Rousey now has hers in Holly Holm. 

You sense Rousey’s story is still to be written, with her legacy being defined by her time spent inside the Octagon with the new Bantamweight champion.

Dana White said in the UFC 193 post fight press conference that an immediate rematch makes sense.  

The rematch books itself, and it will do incredible business.

 As much as Dana White may have cringed post fight at his mega star coming unstuck, the UFC will most likely make more money as a consequence.

Ronda Rousey will be back and Holm will take some beating. But already everyone is licking their lips at a rematch.

Champions are made by the setbacks they endure.

The perfect plan that foiled Rousey in Melbourne will not work again.

Rousey will lick her wounds and every waiting second between now and the rematch, Ronda will plot her revenge. 

The ego has been checked. There’s nothing more humbling for a fighter than recognising their own mortality. But for the greats, such an experience steels them.

This setback may just take Rousey to the next level.

 She’s a global star now, but a rematch with Holly Holm will certainly lift her profile and the entire Women’s Mixed Martial Arts scene to a higher place.

Should she beat Holly Holm, it would only heighten the demand for a super fight with Cyborg, which was apparently in the works, had she, as expected walked out of Melbourne victorious.

But for now tears are being shed. Holm’s are celebratory, Rousey’s are in defeat.

It’s back to the drawing board for both.  

Now we see just how good Ronda Rousey really is.