http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq6owV_D_40 Weight Class: Featherweight And so we come to the main event. Ireland native and rising star Conor McGregor meets Ultimate Fighter 14 featherweight winner Diego Brandao in what promises to be an exciting fight. McGregor can certainly talk the talk, and that talk has got him appearances on TV (the Late Late Show and elsewhere) and a headlining slot on a UFC Fight Night card in his home country - something he told his coach he would accomplish five years ago, when he was just starting out. Well, McGregor's been true to his word; now it's time to see how he does against a guy who could potentially be a killer in the cage. The former Cage Warriors lightweight and featherweight champion has a tough test ahead of him. Diego Brandao has the capability to derail just about anyone outside the top ten in the featherweight division, and he has at times looked deadly in the octagon. On the flip side, he has also performed below his capabilities, and his last fight, which saw him missing weight, was a debacle in which he threatened to stab opponent Dustin Poirier at the weigh-ins. He was later knocked out. The fact he's getting a second chance after that misstep says something about the UFC's belief is his fighting ability, but Brandao has to focus here. McGregor is performing in front of a huge crowd in his home country and will be fired up. Though out for just under a year, he's also adamant that ring rust will not be an issue. When it comes time to set foot in the cage, I do think Conor McGregor wins this fight. He has been a lot less outspoken about Brandao than he was about the man Brandao replaced, Cole Miller. He seems to be taking this fight extremely seriously, and while I do think McGregor has been hyped up too much too soon, I don't see him falling apart in front of his hometown fans. On top of that, Brandao has been knocked out several times in his career, so if McGregor can catch him, there's a good chance of him going down. There are submissions to watch out for - Brandao is a black belt in jiu-jitsu, and McGregor's only losses are via submission, so he'll have to watch out if the fight hits the mat. Otherwise, however - McGregor by TKO in the second.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.