UFC 196: McGregor Vs. Diaz Start Time
Fans can watch UFC 196 live online and see if the Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz fight can live up to its unprecedented billing and seven-figure purse from the league.
The two fighters headline Saturday night’s event, which takes place in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The action starts at 8 p.m. ET with prelim fights, and the main event is slated to begin at 10 p.m. ET.
While the main event is available only on pay-per-view, there is also some action for free and it will all be available to watch live online (instructions for finding streaming video can be found below).
Coming off his win over Jose Aldo, McGregor is the heavy favorite over Diaz, who is coming in on short notice.
An incredible transformation from featherweight to welterweight for @TheNotoriousMMA! ? #UFC196 https://t.co/s6KdU7LpMe
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) March 5, 2016
“It’s worth talking about Diaz’s lack of home run power in this matchup,” ESPN noted in its pre-fight analysis. “McGregor can play the role of counter striker and aggressor equally well. He’s willing to take a punch, which should be dangerous fighting at 170 pounds, but he’s not the flat-footed type who will find himself consistently on the end of Diaz’s punches. Couple of times in an exchange? Sure, McGregor could get hit. Consistently walked down over the course of a 25-minute fight? It would have been interesting to see if dos Anjos, a phenomenal aggressor with good wrestling skills, could have accomplished that. Diaz on short notice? Not likely.”
Fans who watch UFC 196 live online will see history of sorts as well. Conor McGregor will reportedly draw a $1 million purse for his wight with Nate Diaz, the first seven-figure sum in the history of the UFC. As ESPN pointed out, McGregor will actually be earning a lot more once pay-per-view bonuses, sponsorships, and Fight Night bonuses from the UFC are factored in.
There is plenty of action outside the McGregor vs. Diaz bout, including a marquee women’s matchup in Holly Holm against Miesha Tate.
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Diego Sanchez vs. Jim Miller
Justin Salas vs. Jason Saggo
Julian Erosa vs. Teruto Ishihara
Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)
Brandon Thatch vs. Siyar Bahadurzada
Erick Silva vs. Nordine Taleb
Vitor Miranda vs. Marcelo Guimarães
Darren Elkins vs. Chas Skelly
Main Card
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz
Holly Holm (c) vs. Miesha Tate [a]
Gian Villante vs. Ilir Latifi
Corey Anderson vs. Tom Lawlor
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Fans looking to watch UFC 196 live online will have plenty of options. The Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz main event will only be available on pay-per-view, but they will be able to watch the preliminary fights on UFC Fight Pass, and actually won’t have to pay anything. The UFC is offering their exclusive streaming video service with a free trial.
There’s even more fights streaming online as well. Fans can turn to Fox Sports 1 for UFC 196 preliminary card coverage, with streaming video available through Fox Sports GO. The app is free to download through Apple, Android, or Google devices, Amazon devices, and Windows devices.
Live streaming video of the UFC 196 main event is available for $49.99 in standard definition and $59.99 in HD through UFC.TV, which gives fans the option of watching on their phone, iPad, or a host of other devices.
Those who don’t plan to watch UFC 196 McGregor vs. Diaz event live online but still don’t feel like paying the pay-per-view fees will actually have some help from the UFC as well. The official website for Saturday’s event has a bar finder where fans can figure out where the entire slate of fights is showing for free near their home.
[Picture by Buda Mendes/Getty Images]
