UFC 196 predictions: The Conor McGregor show rolls on

Prior to every UFC event, theScore's Alexander K. Lee gives you his predictions for all the main-card fights.

Welterweight Bout
Conor McGregor (7-0 UFC, 19-2)
vs.
Nate Diaz (7-6 UFC, 26-9)

It's possible that jumping up two weight classes is going to hurt McGregor's performance. Maybe the extra weight will throw off his timing, hurt his conditioning, or rob him of his quickness. After all, Diaz has actually competed and won at welterweight in the past.

But it's foolish to bet against McGregor at this point. There are only so many times you can make excuses for his opponents - Chad Mendes didn't have a full camp, Jose Aldo got caught with a lucky punch - before you have to acknowledge the man's dominance.

Diaz presents a number of problems for McGregor with his length and his immunity to the Irishman's mind games. He's only lost via KO once in his career and if he can keep it close for five rounds, a decision win is not out of the question.

Then again, Aldo had zero KO losses on his resume before facing McGregor and look how that turned out.

THE PICK: McGregor

Women's Bantamweight Championship Bout
Holly Holm (3-0 UFC, 10-0)
vs.
Miesha Tate (4-2 UFC, 17-5)

Tate has all the tools to give champion Holm fits. Tate is a great wrestler and she's proven she can stand with some of the sport's best female strikers.

The problem is that Holm's striking is on another level from anyone Tate has faced.

Holm's boxing and kickboxing are at such an advanced stage that she's able to focus on erasing her weaknesses without any fear of her primary skill eroding. One need only look at how Holm escaped the clutches of Ronda Rousey in their title fight in November to see how confident she's become with her grappling. Tate might take her down, but she won't keep her down.

That means the majority of this fight will take place on the feet, a scenario that favors the champ against any woman in the world.

THE PICK: Holm

Light Heavyweight Bout
Gian Villante (4-3 UFC, 14-6)
vs.
Ilir Latifi (4-2 UFC, 11-4)

Villante is difficult to figure out. At times, he shows a mixture of patience and natural power that had him pegged as a top prospect when he entered the sport in 2010; at other times, he's sloppy and unfocused.

If "bad" Villante shows up Saturday against Latifi, he won't make it out of the first round. Latifi isn't the most refined striker, but he has power to spare, as evidenced by his last two KO wins clocking in at under a minute.

There's always the chance that Villante goes to a wrestling-based attack, something that Latifi has been susceptible to in the past. "The Sledgehammer" will have to prove he has the takedown defense to stay upright, and if he does, another knockout victory awaits.

THE PICK: Latifi

Light Heavyweight Bout
Corey Anderson (4-1 UFC, 6-1)
vs.
Tom Lawlor (6-4 UFC, 10-5)

"Filthy" Lawlor often lives up to his name by mucking up the careers of opponents. He submitted C.B. Dollaway, who was fresh off of a runner-up finish on "The Ultimate Fighter," sent Patrick Cote back to the regional circuit, and KO'd a streaking Villante. Based on that alone, one could consider a Lawlor win here.

It's more likely that the awkwardly nicknamed "Beastin 25/8" Anderson uses his wrestling to put Lawlor on the mat and work from top control. Lawlor has shown an ability to threaten with submissions off his back, which means Anderson's ground-and-pound game will have to be on point. Anderson looked impressive in his last two decision wins, so expect a similar result here.

THE PICK: Anderson

Women's Bantamweight Bout
Amanda Nunes (4-1 UFC, 11-4)
vs.
Valentina Shevchenko (1-0 UFC, 12-1)

Nunes and Shevchenko both entered the UFC with reputations as fierce strikers, though they've shown the ability to adapt to more grinding styles in recent wins.

The key to Shevchenko pulling off the upset is dragging this fight into the second and third rounds. "The Lioness" Nunes is a killer in the first round, both in her ability to dish out punishment and to absorb it. Shevchenko is an accomplished kickboxer, but if she engages Nunes too early she's asking for trouble.

For Nunes, the game plan is simple: Seek and destroy. At some point in the first round, she's going to unleash hell on Shevchenko and we'll find out if Shevchenko can weather the storm.

Spoiler: She won't.

THE PICK: Nunes