UFC 205 Preview : Conor McGregor looks to make history in New York

Last Updated : 8th November, 2016 By Alex M

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The UFC will make history on Saturday night when they finally have their first show in New York City at the world famous Madison Square Garden. The mixed martial arts company has been in the eastern state before when they hosted UFC 7 in Buffalo. However, due to a ban on MMA in the Big Apple, it has taken the UFC 21 years to make it back to New York and now they are about to explode into a huge market.

And you best believe they have put together a card to match the magnitude of the event. When Rashad Evans, Frankie Edgar and Khabib Nurmagomedov are on the preliminary card, you know the action is stacked. Conor McGregor headlines the event as he vies to become the first ever two-weight champion in the UFC by prizing the lightweight title away from Eddie Alvarez. However, on the main card, there are two other championship fights and plenty of intriguing matchups. So, let's get stuck into where you should lay your money.

Miesha Tate Vs Raquel Pennington

Miesha Tate steps inside the octagon for the first time since Amanda Nunes gave her a beating and took her bantamweight title at UFC 200. Nunes, a relative unknown at the time, battered the experienced Tate before submitted her with a rear-naked choke just over the three-minute mark. It was a major reality check for Tate; she was on cloud nine after finally ascending to the top of the division after years of Ronda Rousey-induced oppression. After beating Holly Holm - who dethroned Rousey - in just her first title defence, to go and drop it in her first defence too was a shock. Pennington - 8-5 - broke into the UFC in 2013, as a contestant on 'The Ultimate Fighter' reality series. She was the third pick of one of that season's coaches, who just happened to be Tate. Her mentor would then bring Pennington in to help her prepare for Rousey and a teacher Vs student narrative has built. The idea of his bout is to no doubt help Tate climb back to the main event scene and either get a third fight with Rousey - why when she's lost the first two, we don't know - or another super fight. Pennington's hunger, octagon IQ and slick boxing skills figure to reign supreme here, especially given she has trained against Tate's renowned grappling abilities extensively.

Get odds of 10/3 with Skybet for Raquel Pennington to win via decision (£20 free bet)

Chris Weidman Vs Yoel Romero

This battle will essentially decide who will be the number one contender for the UFC middleweight title currently held by British fighter Michael Bisping. For Weidman, this has a special significance, though. The fighter from Long Island campaigned long and hard to get the UFC legalised in New York and he did so with the ambition of fighting in the main event and wearing gold around his waist. An injury scare over the summer that prevented him from having a rematch with Luke Rockhold from UFC 194 in June nearly took the opportunity to fight on the inaugural New York show away from him. He needed surgery on his neck and elected to take the less invasive option with a shorter recovery time. Is he truly 100 percent? Of course, he'd have us believe he is, but there is a nagging feeling his desire to fight in his home state is superseding his brain. Romero is a special athlete to face when you're not in pristine condition. With his Olympic wrestling background, the 39-year-old Cuban is perfectly capable of tying Weidman up, and his left hand is pretty damn nasty too. Could be too strong for the Long Island hero.

Get odds of 6/4 with Betvictor for a Romero win (£30 free bet)

Donald Cerrone Vs Kelvin Gastelum

At welterweight, the fight between Tryon Woodley and Stephen Thompson later on in the night is the showcase event. However, pitting Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone and Kelvin 'Mini Cain' Gastelum together is good for the division. They are two guys that sit sixth and fifth in the rankings respectively and are both primed to climb near a title shot in the near future. Except, only one can. With Robbie Lawler out, the door has been left open for one man to ascend and after Gastelum extended his record to 12-2 at UFC 200 with a unanimous decision over Johny Hendricks, it seemed probable his time was coming. Having said that, Cerrone put Rick Story away in the second round at UFC 202 and with a record of 31-7, he is vastly more experienced than his foe. Cerrone has only ever lost to top fighters like Rafael dos Anjos, Nate Diaz and Benson Henderson, but he looks really settled at welterweight. Whether Gastelum is a welterweight is still up for debate, but he certainly has the power to trouble Cerrone and if he can evade his opponents stifling kicks, he will.

Get odds of 6/4 with Betvictor for a Gastelum win (£30 free bet)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk (c) Vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz - UFC women's strawweight title

Now, to the championship fights. JJ, the champion, is the eighth-best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, and that's males and females. That makes her the most dangerous woman in the world - even above Ronda Rousey - and she is currently 6-0 in the UFC and 12-0 overall. Her last two victories have come via unanimous decision, but the Polish fighter is known for gaining TKOs and submission victories too. The interesting thing here is that the challenger, Kowalkiewicz, who is also Polish but two years Jedrzejczyk's senior, also has a Muay Thai background. However, she is not the striker that the champion is and although she is unbeaten in 10 bouts - seven via decision - she lost to Jedrzejczyk as an amateur via a rear-naked choke in the first round. That fight was back in 2012 and while a lot of time has passed and both women are professionally unbeaten, not much has changed stylistically from that first bout in Sochaczew, Poland. The champion will retain.

Get odds of 3/10 with Coral for a Jedrzejczyk victory (£20 free bet)

Tyron Woodley (c) Vs Stephen Thompson - UFC welterweight title

The Chosen One climbed his way to the top of the welterweight division via unconventional circumstances, but Woodley, now 34, soundly defeated former champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 with a first round knockout to prove he belongs at the top. Woodley has lost via decision twice during his time in the UFC and it just goes to show how a wrestling style can sometimes be hard to impose. The champion is certainly polished with mat skills, but the nearly three inches taller challenger will feel he has adequate length to keep Woodley on the outside. Thompson has got a record of 13-1 and after being trained by UFC legend Georges St-Pierre, you just knew the 33-year-old was going to be good and he really is. He has ascended to second in the welterweight rankings in 10 UFC fights that have been spread over just shy of five years. He has waited for his chance and as a kickboxing specialist, he may present Woodley plenty of problems with counter strikes. New champion here.

Get odds of 4/7 with Betfair for Stephen Thompson to win (£30 free bet)

Eddie Alvarez (c) Vs Conor McGregor - UFC lightweight title

The one we have all been waiting for! Conor McGregor is the biggest box office attraction in the UFC today and if he wants a shot at a different title, then by god, the UFC will give it to him. They were desperate to have him on the New York card and were prepared to do just about anything to make it happen. After defeating Nate Diaz to avenge his previous loss to the same opponent at UFC 202, McGregor has backed up his big mouth in a big way. The question is: Can he become the first ever two-weight champion in UFC history? Alvarez is basically the replacement for Rafael dos Anjos who McGregor was supposed to fight before his first Diaz bout. Alvarez, a 32-year-old with a wrestling background in an addition to a mean strike, put RDA to bed in the first round to win the lightweight title back in July. Now he has this mega fight with McGregor, he will no doubt feel like he can't lose. He will get paid handsomely, have a chance to shut McGregor up, and if he can't, most people expect McGregor through sheer exposure to win anyway. The Notorious won, himself the UFC featherweight champion, is one of the most feared strikers in the world, but his battles with Diaz proved that stepping up to heavier weights nullifies his power a little bit. Alvarez can hit extremely hard too, but in many ways, fighting Diaz has prepared Mystic Mac for The Silent Killer. His takedown defence will have improved and Alvarez may get frustrated trying to get ahold of the lightening quick Irishman. McGregor to collect more gold.

Get odds of 4/6 with Betfair for a Conor McGregor win (£30 free bet)