Conor McGregor vs Eddie Alvarez, UFC 205: MMA fight date, time and how to watch on TV... all you need to know about showdown

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Conor McGregor is looking to make history by becoming the first man to hold two UFC titles consecutively when he takes on Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.

The featherweight champion makes his lightweight debut in the promotion against the division’s king-pin as they headline what is set to be the biggest card in history.

Here, Sportsmail tells you everything you need to know ahead of this weekend's highly-anticipated bout.

Conor McGregor is looking to make history when he meets Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205

Alvarez and McGregor are separated by Dana White in heated UFC 205 press conference

Where is it?

For the first time, the UFC will descend upon the city of New York after a 19-year ban on mixed martial arts was lifted in the state earlier this year.

And it's not just the The Empire State, but also its most prestigious arena, the world famous Madison Square Garden.

The venue, home of some of the most iconic sports moments in history, has a capacity of 18,000. UFC president Dana White claims the sport’s debut has already broken its gate record.

When is it?

The event will take place on Saturday, November 12 in New York. For UK viewers the FS1 Prelims will kick off at 1am on Sunday morning before the main card begins at 3am.

The main event between McGregor and Alvarez should take place around 5am, dependant on how the other bouts play out.

Alvarez will attempt to shock McGregor in a bout which dominates a quality New York card

Alvarez speaks to UFC host Megan Olivi at Madison Square Garden on November 9

Where can I watch it?

UFC 205 will be shown on BT Sport 2 with the main card and prelims shown live. The prelims will also be shown on UFC Fight Pass, which will also screen the early prelims as well as the main card.

What are their fight records?

Featherweight champion McGregor has a near-perfect record in the UFC. His one defeat coming when he was shockingly submitted by Nate Diaz at the beginning of this year.

The Irishman would avenge that loss with a hard-fought decision victory after a brutal five-round war with the Stockton native at UFC 202 less than three months ago.

Prior to that double-header McGregor had seven wins from seven. Six by knockout or TKO and one by decision. His overall MMA record stands at 20-3-0, with the other two losses coming in the first five fights of his career.

Eddie Alvarez (28-4-0) fought a who’s who of top lightweight contenders on his long road to becoming a UFC champion.

The ‘Underground king’ was champion of rival promotion Bellator before joining the the world’s premier MMA organisation in 2014.

After a difficult debut defeat to Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, Alvarez found his feet, notching back-to-back decision wins over Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis to earn himself a title shot.

And he took that with aplomb, dispatching the formidable Rafael dos Anjos with a stunning TKO in the first round in July.

McGregor has been in confident mood ahead of the bout, saying: 'I'm going to retire him'

‘The Notorious’ puts in a choke hold on his training partner as he limbers up for the huge fight

What have they had to say about each other?

The trash talking hasn't quite reached the heights of the Diaz rivalry, but there is certainly no love lost between the two men.

‘The Notorious’ began by ridiculing his rival’s failure to seal an improved contract for what he says is the ‘biggest fight in the game.’

‘He's very, very lucky to be in the position he is in,’ he added. He understands that. That's why he took this fight for the money he was on for the last fight. I mean, that says it all. He’s just another broke bum.’

Moving on to what he plans to do to Alvarez, McGregor did not hold back.

'I'm going to retire him on this night,' he said. 'He has been through a hell of a lot of wars. He has been dropped continuously. I can see it in him. You can see the effects of war on his face. Respect to him, he's a fighter, nothing but respect.

'But this will be it for you. You're going to be badly, badly hurt, Eddie, and I mean that. It's over for you. You will not fight again after this. You will not look the same, you will not think the same, and that's it.

'I feel [people are] going to see something they haven't seen before. I'm going to toy with this man. I'm going to really, truly rearrange his facial structure. His wife and kids will never recognise him again.

Alvarez has been equally confident in his comments on the Dubliner.

‘I never felt so unthreatened by a human being as when I was up on a stage with him,’ he said. ‘That's the God's honest truth. I've never felt so unthreatened.

'This guy's [McGregor] got eight minutes of fight in him and that's it. He quits after eight minutes every fight. He's not a championship fighter. He's never been.

‘As far as shutting his (McGregor's) mouth and giving him some humility, it will be an honour. A lot of people will show up to cheer for him but a lot of people are also going to show up and enjoy watching him be defeated.’

McGregor, unsurprisingly given his huge popularity, is mobbed by UFC fans in New York

UFC 205 is the biggest card in history and will be held at New York's Madison Square Garden

When is the weigh-in?

The weigh-ins take place on Friday evening in the US and will be streamed live on the UFC's Youtube channel at 11pm in the UK.

The two combatants will be allowed to officially weigh in four hours earlier before taking to the scales for show at the Madison Square Garden Arena Floor.

Who are the trainers?

McGregor trains at Straight Blast Gym in Dublin under his career-long coach John Kavanagh.

The 28-year-old made a number of changes to his fight preparation after the Diaz defeat, most significantly brining in Marcelo Garcia and Dillon Danis.

Overseeing Alvarez's training camp for his battle with McGregor is his long-term coach Mark Henry.

His camp is one of the fiercest in the game, with training partners including former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and top lightweight contender Edson Barboza.

What are the odds?

Conor McGregor to win: 4/7

Eddie Alvarez to win: 13/10

Anyone else worth watching on the main card?

Yes, all of them.

The historic New York card is, without question, the most stacked in the history of the company.

For the first time, there will be three title fights on show, with four current champions and three former champions making the walk to the octagon.

Tyron Woodley makes the first defence of his welterweight belt in the co-main event as he takes on dynamic striker Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in what promises to be a treat for the purists.

Dominant strawweight queen Joanna Jedrejczyk will look to continue her phenomenal run as she faces off with Karolina Kowalkiewicz in a battle of the Poles.

Local hero Chris Weidman, crucial in legalising the sport in the state, also features in what looks to be a No 1 middleweight contender bout with Yoel Romero.

Fan favourites Donald Cerrone, former women’s champ Mesiha Tate and Frankie Edgar also feature on a night where the pre-lims could easily be the main card.

McGregor is a 4/7 favourite to come out on top against the 32-year-old Alvarez