UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 196: McGregor vs. Diaz. March 5, 2016. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Nate Diaz submitted Conor McGregor with a rear-naked choke 4:12 into round two. It was the biggest upset of 2016 and the moment that created the sport’s most commercially successful rivalry. The event drew 1,317,000 PPV buys.
The original main event had been McGregor challenging Rafael dos Anjos for the UFC LW Championship. Dos Anjos withdrew with a broken foot 11 days before. Diaz accepted on 11 days’ notice. McGregor— normally the UFC FW champion at 145 lbs — agreed to fight at welterweight (170 lbs).
In the co-main event, Miesha Tate submitted Holly Holm with a rear-naked choke in round five to win the WBW title — after losing all four previous rounds. Both main card title fights ended in surprise submissions. Amanda Nunes defeated Valentina Shevchenko by UD in their first meeting.
Contents
Quick Stats
Date: March 5, 2016
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
PPV: 1,317,000 buys
Original Main Event: McGregor vs. Rafael dos Anjos — LW Championship; dos Anjos withdrew with broken foot 11 days before
Main Event: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz — WW non-title (McGregor FW champion fighting at 170 lbs; Diaz on 11 days’ notice)
Result: Diaz def. McGregor — Sub (RNC) R2, 4:12 — biggest upset of 2016; McGregor was wobbled by Diaz right hands; shot takedown; Diaz reversed to mount, back, choke
Co-Main: Tate def. Holm — Sub (RNC) R5, 3:30 — WBW Championship; Tate won after losing 4 rounds; two submission upsets in one night
Notable: Nunes def. Shevchenko UD (first meeting; both future champions); two title fight submissions on same card
Bonuses: POTN: Diaz ($50k + FOTN = $100k total); POTN: Tate ($50k)
The Build-Up
McGregor had been building toward a lightweight title shot following his 13-second KO of Jose Aldo at UFC 194. He was scheduled to challenge Dos Anjos for the LW title on March 5. When Dos Anjos broke his foot in training and withdrew 11 days out, the card needed a replacement. Diaz accepted the welterweight booking immediately. He was the only fighter willing to step in at that weight class on that timeline.
The weight difference was significant: McGregor normally competed at 145 lbs. At 170 lbs he would face a man who had campaigned almost exclusively at that weight for his entire career. Diaz’s reach, boxing, and conditioning at WW were established strengths. McGregor’s power at the higher weight class was an open question.
Main Event
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz — Welterweight
Round one: McGregor landed his left hand repeatedly, cutting Diaz over the right eye. Diaz appeared to absorb the shots with equanimity and secured a late R1 takedown as the bell rang.
Round two: McGregor came out aggressively again but Diaz found his range with right hands and wobbled the Irishman badly. McGregor shot for a desperate takedown. Diaz reversed to mount, transitioned to back control, and locked in a rear-naked choke. McGregor tapped at 4:12 of round two. Diaz post-fight: his characteristic comments, composed and dismissive.
McGregor post-fight: ‘I took a shot and went at it. I was simply inefficient with my energy. The weight allowed Nate to take my shots very well. I made some errors. This is the game. We win some, we lose some. I will never shy away from a challenge.’
Co-Main Event
Holly Holm (c) vs. Miesha Tate — UFC WBW Championship
Holm dominated with movement and striking for four rounds. Tate was being comprehensively outpointed. Entering round five, Tate’s corner likely told her she needed a finish. She pushed the pace. Holm attempted to maintain distance but Tate secured a takedown, quickly worked to back control, and sank a rear-naked choke. Holm tapped at 3:30 of round five. Miesha Tate was the new UFC WBW Champion.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Diego Sanchez def. Jim Miller — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (29-28 x3) — LW
Darren Elkins def. Chas Skelly — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — FW
Nordine Taleb def. Erick Silva — KO (Punch) — R2, 1:34 — WW
Vitor Miranda def. Marcelo Guimaraes — TKO — R2, 1:09 — MW
Siyar Bahadurzada def. Brandon Thatch — Sub (Arm-Triangle) — R3, 4:11 — WW
Main Card
Corey Anderson def. Tom Lawlor — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) — LHW
Amanda Nunes def. Valentina Shevchenko — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 (29-28, 29-27, 29-27) — WBW; first meeting; both future dominant UFC champions
Miesha Tate def. Holly Holm — Sub (RNC) — R5, 3:30 — WBW Championship; Tate new champion; POTN ($50k); won after losing 4 rounds; Co-Main
Nate Diaz def. Conor McGregor — Sub (RNC) — R2, 4:12 — WW non-title; biggest upset of 2016; POTN + FOTN to Diaz ($100k total)
Bonuses & Awards
Performance of the Night + Fight of the Night: Nate Diaz — $100,000 total.
Performance of the Night: Miesha Tate — $50,000.
Records & Milestones
Nate Diaz — at time of fight had compiled more UFC post-fight bonuses than any other fighter in the promotion’s history (14 total at the time). Win over McGregor earned him both FOTN + POTN ($100k total).
Miesha Tate — won the WBW title after being outpointed for four rounds; first fighter to win a UFC title fight from such a clearly losing position entering the fifth round.
Amanda Nunes def. Valentina Shevchenko — first meeting of two fighters who would both become multiple-division UFC champions; Nunes won this one by UD; their rematch at UFC 213 would go to Nunes again by UD.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 196 created the Diaz-McGregor rivalry that would generate the sport’s highest-selling rematch by 2016 standards at UFC 202. Diaz’s 11-day turnaround and McGregor’s willingness to take the fight — at a weight class not his own, against a last-minute replacement, on short notice — produced one of the sport’s most compelling narratives of 2016.
The co-main has its own legacy: Tate’s win from four rounds down is the most dramatic WBW title change in the weight class’s short history. The rear-naked choke in round five, on a champion whose entire reputation rested on never being submitted, remains one of the most improbable moments in women’s MMA.
FAQ
Why was Nate Diaz the opponent and not dos Anjos?
Rafael dos Anjos was the original main event opponent as LW champion. He withdrew with a broken foot 11 days before UFC 196. Nate Diaz was the only fighter willing to accept the fight at welterweight (170 lbs) on that timeline. McGregor is a FW champion; fighting at WW was a weight class jump.
How did Diaz finish McGregor?
In round two, Diaz landed right hands that badly wobbled McGregor. As McGregor shot for a desperate takedown, Diaz reversed to mount, transitioned to back control, and locked in a rear-naked choke. McGregor tapped at 4:12 of round two.
How did Tate beat Holm despite losing four rounds?
Tate was outpointed by Holm for the first four rounds. In round five, needing a finish, she increased her pressure, secured a takedown, worked to back control, and submitted Holm with a rear-naked choke at 3:30. It was the most dramatic title change in WBW history.
Was the Nunes vs. Shevchenko fight at UFC 196 significant?
Yes. Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko met for the first time at UFC 196 in a WBW non-title bout. Nunes won by UD. Both fighters went on to become multiple-division UFC champions. Their rematch at UFC 213 in July 2017 also went to Nunes by UD.
Was there a McGregor vs. Diaz rematch?
Yes. McGregor vs. Diaz 2 took place at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016, also at welterweight. McGregor won by majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28) after another five-round war. The trilogy was never completed.
References
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