Dublin Ireland’s brash pugilist meets a tough slugger representing the 209.

The time is drawing near for Conor Mcgregor and Nate Diaz to meet head to head in the cage. Both men are brash, both are outspoken, and both employ a mostly striking attack that is sure to have the fans cheering come Saturday. Though McGregor’s original match was a far more intriguing, far more important match up than the one against Diaz, the two provide pure fisticuffs and there’s likely to be no shortage of memorable exchanges during the affair. While many are making a big deal out of Conor moving up two weightclasses, the truth of the matter is that Nate isn’t a true welterweight McGregor has put on an adequate about of lean, healthy muscle for this fight and without the weight cut depleting his body he’ll be even more fresh than in his bouts contested at featherweight champion. McGregor looks in good spirits heading into the match and will look to use his superior footwork and techniques to light Diaz up on the feet. In terms of technique, Diaz is also very technically sound, but this refers more to his grappling than to his striking. His striking is great, he knows how to use his length at times, has good punch selection, and varies his punching power brilliantly. One minute you’re being peppered with light stinging shots, the next you’re being blasted with a blistering power shot. It’s going to be interesting to see the boxing exchanges between the two when it remains in that range. However, I’ve got to think that McGregor’s team has studied enough tape on the Diaz to realize that a slug fest is to be avoided at all costs. McGregor is a very cerebral fighter and will look to exploit Diaz’s lack of speed during the striking exchanges, bouncing in and out of range. If the fight hits the ground then things will get interesting as Diaz is a dangerous jiujitsu artist. The unfortunate part for Diaz however is that the Stockton California native is unlikely to have the wrestling to put McGregor on his back. All in all this match up will ultimately come down to a couple of important elements, namely speed and precision. McGregor has the advantages in both departments as well as the ability to play both aggressor and counter striker when need be. Look for McGregor to use his varied attack to score a knock out in the second round. Who do you think will win the battle between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter to keep up with his antics.