Rematch! Five Key Questions Heading Into UFC 202

We are now just one day away from what very well could be the biggest card of the year, as UFC 202 is slated to take place tomorrow night (August 20, 2016) live on pay-per-view (PPV) from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event will feature a highly anticipated grudge match between bitter rivals Nate Diaz and reigning 145-pound kingpin Conor McGregor. The co-main event of the evening will play host to a pivotal light heavyweight scrap between former title challengers Anthony Johnson and Glover Teixeira.

As the event nears closer, let’s take a look at five key questions heading into UFC 202:

Is Cody Garbrandt A Legitimate Threat At Bantamweight?

The bantamweight division has suddenly become one of the most intriguing division’s in the UFC over the last year, and No. 8-ranked Cody “No Love” Garbrandt, one of the division’s brightest prospects, will headline the FOX Sports 1 prelims in a bout against No. 11-ranked longtime veteran Takeya Mizugaki.

Garbrandt is coming off of a super impressive main event performance, as he knocked out previously surging No. 10-ranked Thomas Almeida last May in Las Vegas. Since then, “No Love” has been receiving quite a bit of attention, and he’s constantly brought up his interest in facing off with 135-pound kingpin Dominick Cruz. Cruz is currently without a fight, and it may be unlikely for Garbrandt to receive a title shot with a win after UFC 202 given his current spot in the rankings, but another victory over a recognizable name would sure be helpful in his quest towards divisional supremacy.

Do you feel as if “No Love” is a legitimate threat at 135-pounds?

What Does The Future Hold For Donald Cerrone?

Former lightweight title challenger Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone recently jumped up to welterweight after a failed bid at the 155-pound title, and he’s compiled two straight victories. Now, Cerrone will get his crack at a top 10 170-pounder, as he’s set to clash with No. 9-ranked Rick Story on the UFC 202 main card.

“Cowboy” has recently said that with a win over Story he’d like to drop back down to lightweight for a fight with champion Eddie Alvarez at November 12’s UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden. Cerrone does actually own a convincing win over Alvares, and he is still ranked as the No. 6 lightweight, although it’d be hard to see him leapfrogging the 155-pound elite. With that being said, UFC 202 could give us some insight into what the future holds for Cerrone.

If he does indeed defeat Story, could “Cowboy” make a run at the 170-pound throne?

Who Will Be The Next Light Heavyweight Title Challenger?

With interim light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’ fighting future currently unclear, the next contender to Daniel Cormier’s 205-pound throne will likely be decided in the co-main event of UFC 202 as No. 1-ranked Anthony Johnson faces off with No. 2-ranked Glover Teixiera.

Since being submitted by Cormier in an April 2015 bout for the vacant title, Johnson has scored back-to-back stoppage victories over the likes of Jimi Manuwa and Ryan Bader. An impressive win over a dangerous name like Teixeira should be enough to earn him another crack at “DC”.

Teixeira is also a former title challenger, as he squared off with Jones for “Bones’” then held title back in April 2014. Unfortunately, he came up short, and he followed up his bout with Jones with another disappointing defeat to Phil Davis in October 2014. Since then, however, the Brazilian slugger has rattled off three straight over the likes of Ovince Saint-Preux, Patrick Cummins, and Rashad Evans. Adding a fourth win to that streak should put Teixeira at the forefront of the light heavyweight title picture.

Who do you see winning this bout?

How Will Nate Diaz Look On A Full Training Camp?

What was most impressive about Nate Diaz’s second round submission victory over Conor McGregor last March was that he did it on just over a week’s notice after vacationing in Mexico. This time, however, Diaz will enter the Octagon on the heels of a full training camp which may be a scary thing if you’re a McGregor fan.

Diaz will likely be in better condition than he was last March, and his high level boxing and grappling will likely be as polished as ever. With that being said, McGregor has also had a full training camp to prepare specifically for Diaz this time around.

Do you expect Diaz to get the job done easier in the rematch, or will McGregor have fixed his issues?

Can Conor McGregor Overcome The Size and Skill Of Nate Diaz?

It’s no secret that Conor McGregor’s bread and butter is his striking, and he made that clear during his demolition course that he ran throughout the featherweight division on his quest towards the championship. Prior to fighting Diaz, McGregor had faced off with seven UFC featherweights and he knocked out six of them including former longtime titleholder Jose Aldo. Simply put, when the “Notorious” one hits 145-pounders, they often fall.

Now, the problem at UFC 196 for McGregor wasn’t that he couldn’t hit Diaz. In fact, McGregor peppered Diaz quite a bit in the opening frame and bloodied him up. The problem, however, was that Diaz is not a featherweight. He’s a natural lightweight, and a large one at that who has the durability and ability to eat a tremendous amount of shots. When you pair this durability with his high level skill set, Diaz becomes a difficult puzzle to solve.

Can McGregor overcome these factors and get his revenge on Saturday night?