UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso viewing and schedule guide
The UFC returns to Las Vegas this week for one of the most stacked cards in recent history as UFC 178 goes down on Saturday night headlined by flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson facing off with top 10 contender Chris Cariaso.
While the odds are certainly in Johnson's favor, Cariaso comes in as a massive underdog with nothing to lose and that always makes for an interesting matchup.
The undercard below Johnson vs. Cariaso might be the best of the year with Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone facing newcomer Eddie Alvarez in the co-main event as well as Tim Kennedy taking on Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero.
Top ranked women's contender Cat Zingano finally gets back in action after more than a year away from the sport as she faces tough Brazilian fighter Amanda Nunes.
Plus let's not forget the Conor McGregor show comes to town as he takes on a legit title contender in Dustin Poirier as these two scrappy featherweights look to settle their grudge at UFC 178.
The prelims on FOX Sports 1 also get a marquee matchup with former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz returning to face Takeya Mizugaki.
To make sure you don't miss any of the action going down from Las Vegas this week, we've included a full schedule and viewing guide for everything you need to see for UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso
Friday at 7p ET - UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso weigh-ins
Where to watch: FOX Sports 2 or FOX Sports GO
To officially kick off the fight weekend, get ready to see all the fighters hit the scale before staring down just 24 hours away from the show. The weigh-ins can often times tell the tale before the fights on Saturday night so this is a great way to see who has the edge before even stepping foot in the cage.
Saturday at 7p ET - UFC 178 Early Prelims
Where to watch: UFC Fight Pass
The first two fights of the night kick off on UFC Fight Pass starting at 7p ET including former Ultimate Fighter runner-up Manny Gamburyan as he makes his bantamweight debut on the card. The fights on the early prelims include:
Jon Tuck vs. Kevin Lee
Manny Gamburyan vs. Cody Gibson
Saturday at 7:30p ET - UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso pre-fight show
Where to watch: FOX Sports 1 or FOX Sports GO
Before the fights kick off at the bottom of the hour, hear analysis and picks from the best crew in the sport. The UFC on FOX team will break down all of the fights as well as give analysis of the key matchups on the card. Can Johnson keep moving forward in the pound-for-pound rankings with another dominant win or is Cariaso the contender to finally dethrone him? How will Eddie Alvarez do in his UFC debut and how will the long layoffs affect Cat Zingano and Dominick Cruz? All this and more on FOX Sports 1.
Saturday at 8p ET - UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso Prelims
Where to watch: FOX Sports 1 or FOX Sports GO
Following a three year layoff due to injury, former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is back and he's looking to reclaim his throne as the best 135-pound fighter in the world. He returns with a stiff test awaiting him as Takeya Mizugaki looks to make a huge statement on Saturday night by beating Cruz and potentially putting himself in line for a shot at the belt. Also on the preliminary card, Patrick Cote and Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson face off as two of the best strikers at 170-pounds throw down in the Octagon. The full preliminary card is listed below:
Dominick Cruz vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Jorge Masvidal vs. James Krause
Patrick Cote vs. Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson
John Howard vs. Brian Ebersole
Saturday at 10p ET - UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso
Where to watch: Pay-Per-View
From top to bottom, there is not a bad fight on this UFC 178 fight card so make sure to get seated right at the 10p hour because things get real in a hurry. The full main card list is below:
MAIN EVENT: Demetrious Johnson vs. Chris Cariaso
Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone vs. Eddie Alvarez
Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor
Tim Kennedy vs. Yoel Romero
Cat Zingano vs. Amanda Nunes
Sunday at 1a ET -- UFC 178 Post Fight Show
Where to watch: FOX Sports 1 or FOX Sports GO
Following the night's action, don't change the channel because to hear a breakdown of all the events that just happened as well as exclusive post fight interviews with the biggest winners of the night, keep it locked to FOX Sports 1 with the special UFC post fight show.