This Sunday the UFC makes its return to New York after a two-decade-long banishment.

The card is shaping up to be one of the best in MMA history, headlined by UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor against lightweight king Eddie Alvarez.

» Mayweather vs McGregor: The latest news, rumours and fight status

Dana White, the UFC’s hyperbolic president, has a history of embellishing statements, but when he calls UFC 205 “the biggest, baddest UFC card ever” for once he isn’t exaggerating.

Sunday’s mega-card on the hallowed grounds of Madison Square Garden ticks all the boxes. It has enough mainstream appeal to be a commercial success and a top-to-bottom offering of outstanding fights to satisfy even the most snobby of fight fans.

The event has already broken the MSG gate record, besting the $13.5 million generated by the 1999 Lenox Lewis-Evander Holyfield bout, and is almost guaranteed to sell over a million units on pay-per-view.

The biggest reason for the runaway success of the event is McGregor, the motor-mouthed Irishman who is looking to make history by becoming the UFC’s first ever two-weight world champion.

To help break down the historic champion-versus-champion main event, along with the other title fights and grudge matches that make up the pay-per-view portion of UFC 205, I have called on Chris Quirk, a former Muay Thai fighter, and writer for Fight News Australia.

UFC lightweight championship bout: Eddie Alvarez (c) vs. Conor McGregor

Chris Quirk: Putting aside all the talk, the hype, the gusto, and everything else that comes along normally in the lead up to a McGregor fight and you have a bout here that will severely test both men.

McGregor’s biggest weakness and one that is often talked about is his grappling skills and ability on the ground.

Since his first bout with Nate Diaz this past March, there seems to have been an incredible amount of effort put into improving his skills in this area and the rematch with Diaz months later was a great example of that focus. McGregor was able to keep most of the fight standing and in doing so was able to control the tempo of that fight.

It is often forgotten that McGregor was taken down multiple times against Chad Mendes in 2015 but still managed to stay composed and work his way to a TKO victory in that fight. While on paper Alvarez doesn’t necessarily have the same wrestling pedigree as a fighter like Mendes, it is definitely an area where he has a distinct advantage over McGregor.

McGregor’s advantage comes from his powerful left hand and if he manages to stick to his game plan, he may be able to wear Alvarez down and land a calculated shot or two. Where other fighters may falter on McGregor’s natural striking ability, Alvarez is known never to take a backward step and the veteran of many organisations won’t be worried to stand and trade with the featherweight champion.

Irish luck may very well play a part in this fight and it could be a crafty strike on an overly-aggressive Alvarez that will give us the result in this fight, but I am picking the SBG Ireland poster boy to leave with the knockout win.

Tip: Conor McGregor via third-round knockout

Justin Faux: Not since the ridiculously fearless BJ Penn moved up in weight to fight Georges St. Pierre in 2009 has an active champion challenged another king for his position on the throne.

Penn’s bid to clasp the championship double ended in heartbreak and I forecast a similar result for the talented Irishman.

Don’t get me wrong, McGregor can absolutely win this fight, but his window of opportunity will shrink dramatically with every minute that ticks by.

McGregor is blessed with hands of stone and possesses a dangerous striking repertoire. He has a reach and speed advantage, vastly more power in his mitts, and a more diverse stand-up game, serving up a steady diet of punches, kicks, knees, and elbows.

Especially in the opening minutes, the 28-year-old is a kill-or-be-killed knockout hunter, who has complete confidence in his iron chin to withstand his opponent’s counter bombs while he sets his sight on a dramatic finish.

When you factor in that Alvarez is incredibly hittable, even eating leather from non-potent hitters like Shinya Aoki over the years, I can understand why Chris, as well as the gambling public at large, is wagering on McGregor.

Despite McGregor’s serious knockout power, that rivals anyone in his weight range, I don’t think he will put Alvarez down for the count, though. And I definitely don’t think he can steal rounds over 25 minutes to win the belt that way either.

While Alvarez has a long history of getting dinged up by his opponents punches, he has also demonstrated an ability to recover fast – which will serve him well against the John Kavanagh-trained puncher.

Moreover, since joining the UFC, the Philadelphia-based action fighter has shifted his approach to the game, fighting smarter and taking less damage.

In his match-up against former champ Anthony Pettis, Alvarez seamlessly blended his striking attack with relentless cage-pressure and takedown attempts to exhaust the taekwondo black belt and leave with a close decision.

Alvarez’s key to making his maiden title defense this weekend is to just outwork McGregor. He has a huge cardio advantage and can use his striking to get inside, pressure against the fence, and force takedowns.

Over a 25 minute game of chess, I’m siding with the champion to win at least three, maybe and even four of the five rounds.

Tip: Eddie Alvarez via decision

UFC welterweight championship bout: Tyron Woodley (c) vs. Stephen Thompson

Chris Quirk: A true match-up of contrasting styles will be on display in this welterweight title fight when Woodley looks to make the first defense of his newly-acquired title against ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.

Having caused an upset with a win over former champion Robbie Lawler in July via TKO, Woodley has the chance to show fans that it was no fluke and that he can continue to take on the best in the welterweight division.

While Woodley is known for his exceptional wrestling as a former NCAA All-American from the University of Missouri, it is also his strong hands that have produced one of the perfect examples of a wrestler with significant striking ability – a strong and often successful combination in the UFC.

The contrast in this fight comes with Thompson and his strong background in karate. Having managed to successfully adapt this style to the Octagon, Thompson has produced a raft of highlight-reel results. His key strengths lie in his unorthodox striking and ability to score by using his range better than any other fight in the UFC now (bar perhaps McGregor).

A Woodley win will come by getting Thompson up against the cage and slowly grinding him down over five rounds. For Thompson, it will come by keeping Woodley at range and landing as many significant strikes as possible. Thompson’s unorthodox fight style should give him the overall advantage here.

Tip: Stephen Thompson via decision

Justin Faux: Remember when Joe Rogan shouted “the Machida era is upon us” when karate-stylist Lyoto Machida won the light heavyweight title in 2009? Rogan all-but-promised that the bulletproof Brazilian would rule the roost for years to come.

Well, Machida’s title reign lasted less than a year. And truth be told, if a competent judging panel scored his first title defense against Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, it would’ve only lasted a few months.

Rua cracked the code of Machida’s karate-influenced style and made everyone look foolish for assuming that Machida was untouchable.

‘Wonderboy’ Thompson has taken that Machida formula to the next level, leading many to believe that he might have that unstoppable run that was once predicted for ‘The Dragon’.

Plain and simply, Thompson has made it look easy in his past few fights against cream-of-the-crop competition. Ex-UFC champ Johny Hendricks looked like a rookie boxing student against a karate master during his short-and-sweet fight against ‘Wonderboy’.

Rory MacDonald wasn’t embarrassed like Hendricks in Thompson’s next fight, but he was thoroughly beaten, losing every single round.

Heading into the championship fight, the mild-mannered 33-year-old is on fire, and I don’t think Woodley is the man to extinguish that flame.

Woodley’s best chance to defend his crown is to replicate his championship-winning performance against Lawler earlier this year by creating an opening early and cracking the dangerous southpaw. If he cannot pull that off, I don’t give him a big chance.

Simply put, Woodley is the UFC welterweight king, but I’m not convinced he’s the world’s best 170-pound fighter. ‘Wonderboy’ finishes this fight before it enters the championship rounds.

Tip: Stephen Thompson via third-round knockout

UFC strawweight championship bout: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (c) vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Chris Quirk: With Polish pride at stake in this championship bout, there are sure to be fireworks with both Jedrzejczyk and Kowalkiewicz who are known for their striking abilities. Having met once before in an amateur MMA bout in 2012, it was Jedrzejczyk who came out on top during that clash with a submission win.

Fast forward four years later and Jedrzejczyk is now the UFC women’s strawweight champion with an unbeaten record of 12-0. Coming off a decisive victory over Claudia Gadelha on the finale of the last Ultimate Fighter season, Jedrzejczyk is looking to continue her unbeaten streak and put on a performance that will further solidify her dominance of that division.

Jedrzejczyk’s recent move to American Top Team in Florida could play a pivotal role in this fight and it will be interesting to see how her game has improved since the move to the well-known MMA stable.

While both have scored highly on the significant strikes count during their time with the UFC, it is Jedrzejczyk who has the superior skills on her feet. Kowalkiewicz will need to look for a way to nullify the forward pressure that Jedrzejczyk is known for, but without any significant grappling abilities, there may just not be enough tools at her disposal to put up any kind resistance.

Look for Jedrzejczyk to continue her successful run and win via TKO early in the fight.

Tip: Jedrzejczyk via first round TKO

Justin Faux:The UFC’s women’s bantamweight division is the marquee class. It features the biggest female stars and almost all of the big matches with box office appeal, but don’t get it twisted, the most talent-rich women’s division is 20 pounds south.

Jedrzejczyk, the UFC strawweight and pound-for-pound queen, rules the roost at 115-pounds and is fast running out of viable contenders for her title.

The Polish Muay Thai champion is one of the best pure strikers in the sport, male or female, has superb takedown defence, and a bottomless gas tank. And as Chris pointed out, the move to American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida can only do good things for the Pole.

Her opponent, Kowalkiewicz is a great striker and a great fighter in her own right, but this is a nightmare match-up for her.

Everything Kowalkiewicz does, Jedrzejczyk does better. ‘Double K’ can’t outstrike the champ at range or distance, can’t outpace her, and can’t take her off her feet.

‘Joanna Champion’ wins this, either by stoppage or utterly dominant decision.

Tip: Joanna Jedrzejczyk via second-round TKO

Middleweight bout: Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero

Chris Quirk: In what is now the consensus number-one contender fight for the UFC middleweight title, Weidman against Romero could be the sleeper hit of this card.

Their records, their wrestling credentials and a title shot at stake makes this a fight not to be missed. Weidman has the reach advantage, but that won’t stop a fighter like Romero who doesn’t mind getting in the pocket and throwing a few bombs.

Romero’s cardio will be the absolute key to this fight and if he can overcome Weidman’s crafty cage work early on, then he could be in a position to land that knockout punch. In saying that, though – it’s Weidman’s skill level that will see him dominate here. If he can weather the heavy strikes coming his way early in the fight, then Weidman should be able to wear Romero down and grind out an impressive win to put him in title contention.

Tip: Chris Weidman via decision

Justin Faux: Similarly to my compadre Chris, I am also siding with the ‘All-American’ former champion to return to form in New York City.

Weiman deserves to be the clear-cut favourite here, and most will agree he is the most likely winner, but Romero is the ultimate wild card.

The Cuban-born super athlete has power in his hands and serious wrestling chops with an Olympic silver medal to prove it. He is prone to slowing down in fights but is also capable of finding a second wind to completely surprise opponents.

Romero is a tough nut to crack, but Weidman is more than capable of getting the job done.

Tip: Chris Weidman via decision

Welterweight bout: Donald Cerrone vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Chris Quirk: Ever since the move up to the welterweight division, Cerrone has looked incredibly dominant. His matchup against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 205 provides another opportunity for the active fighter to make his mark in the division.

While both fighters are very technical when it comes to their striking, it is Cerrone who slightly edges out Gastelum when it comes to those stats.

Where this fight will be won or lost will be based on Gastelum’s ability to delve back into his grappling strengths and nullify Cerrone’s aggressive tactics in the cage. Cerrone is looking possibly the best he ever has in his career and should end this fight within the distance.

Tip: Donald Cerrone via second-round TKO

Justin Faux: I questioned Cerrone’s move up to the welterweight division. It seemed like a desperate step by a fighter who was stuck in no man’s land after a one-sided loss in his first title fight.

I was completely wrong.

‘Cowboy’ has looked outstanding at 170-pounds, not only beating, but finishing all three of his welterweight opponents, and I suspect he will make it four on Sunday.

Tip: Donald Cerrone via second-round TKO

Women’s bantamweight bout: Miesha Tate vs. Raquel Pennington

Chris Quirk: Coming off a loss is hard, coming off a loss in your first UFC title defence has to be even harder. That’s the challenge in front of number-one-ranked contender Tate this weekend when she goes up against Pennington.

Both fighters are tough as nails and neither will take a backward step in what should be a very close fight. While Tate has the experience over Pennington, all other stats are very similar across this board. How Tate bounces back from her comprehensive loss to Amanda Nunes will make or break this fight.

The question here is whether Pennington has the power in her striking to overwhelm Tate early on in the same way that Nunes did. Her record suggests that she doesn’t and that’s why we’ll see Tate use her superior skills on the ground to get the submission win.

Tip: Meisha Tate via third-round submission

Justin Faux: It’s no secret that UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby is trying to set up Tate to score a victory on a big card to keep her in the running for big matches at 135-pounds here.

Problem is, Pennington isn’t a push over. Shelby plucked Pennington to welcome former boxing and MMA champ Holly Holm to the UFC in 2015 and the scrappy underdog gave Holm all she could handle and then some, with many arguing that she won that fight.

Pennington is a jack of all trades, master of none fighter, but she is a really hard worker and will attack from bell-to-bell.

I’ll pick the recently dethroned champ to win, but it could be close and even controversial.

Tip: Miesha Tate via decision