UFC Vegas 98 on Saturday, October 12 : Royval vs Taira Prediction and Insights
UFC Vegas 98 is happening this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. You can catch the entire event streaming on ESPN+, kicking off at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT), with the main card starting at 7 p.m. ET.
As of Monday, flyweight contender Tatsuro Taira is the favorite at -218 (bet $218 to win $100) against Brandon Royval, who is the +180 underdog (bet $100 to win $180). This gives Taira, ranked No. 5 in the UFC’s 125-pound division, an implied win probability of 68.6%.
It’s finally great to have a strong Fight Night main event! We’ve got Brandon Royval versus Tatsuro Taira, two top flyweight contenders. I’m really looking forward to this one—especially after a series of lackluster main events like Rose Namajunas vs. Erin Blanchfield. This match-up is much more fitting for a Fight Night headliner.
Both It’s finally great to have a strong Fight Night main event! We’ve got Brandon Royval versus Tatsuro Taira, two top flyweight contenders. I’m really looking forward to this one—especially after a series of lackluster main events like Rose Namajunas vs. Erin Blanchfield. This match-up is much more fitting for a Fight Night headliner.
Both Royval and Taira have been making waves, and this fight will be a real test. Taira is currently ranked #5 and is coming off a strong win pre-injury. Royval, on the other hand, has shown his skills but has faced some grappling challenges. He did manage to beat Brandon Moreno, but the version of Moreno he faced was not at his best—more like someone just spamming overhands. It’s still a notable win, but there are asterisks around it. After that fight, Moreno took a break, which shows he wasn’t at his peak form.
Taira, however, has a lot to prove here, and it’s clear the UFC wants to push him. This is probably Taira’s easiest matchup in the top five. A fight against Kai Kara-France, for instance, would be much tougher. I don’t think Taira’s striking defense is solid enough yet to handle Kai’s power. He’s been caught a few times before, even by unranked fighters, and his defensive awareness could be better. He does get hit more than you’d expect for someone at his level.
On the flip side, Royval’s takedown defense is a major weak point. He got taken down by a tired, fifth-round Alexandre Pantoja, even though Royval is supposed to be the cardio guy. If Taira can secure takedowns and control the fight, it’s going to be a good night for him. Taira’s control time and grappling could be a huge factor in this five-round bout.
This is the first time Taira will be going five rounds, so it’ll be interesting to see how his cardio holds up. Royval has good cardio and might be able to capitalize on that in the later rounds. If Royval has been working on his takedown defense, he could make this fight competitive, especially if it stays on the feet. But if Taira can take him down and neutralize him on the ground, it’s going to be a tough fight for Royval.
Overall, I’m leaning towards Taira because of his grappling advantage. His striking is decent, but it’s his ground game that will be the key here. Royval’s striking and cardio are strong, but his ground game leaves him vulnerable. This fight will really test both fighters’ skill sets and adaptability.
The fact that this is a Fight Night main event and a potential title eliminator is a big deal for the flyweight division. It’s nice to see the UFC giving these fighters the spotlight they deserve. Flyweights have been disrespected in the past, with high-level fights buried in the prelims, but this is different. It’s a chance for these guys to showcase their talents in a five-round main event.
It’s great to see the UFC putting together matchups like this. We have other solid main events lined up too, like Michel Pereira vs. Anthony Hernandez. If the UFC keeps delivering quality main events, it’ll be a good look for the sport.
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Flyweight is looking exciting right now, especially with the possibility of Henry Cejudo returning to the division. There’s a lot to look forward to, and I can’t wait to see what happens in this fight. It should be a great showcase for both fighters and the division as a whole. Looking forward to more matchups like this—hopefully, the UFC keeps up the momentum! have been making waves, and this fight will be a real test. Taira is currently ranked #5 and is coming off a strong win pre-injury. Royval, on the other hand, has shown his skills but has faced some grappling challenges. He did manage to beat Brandon Moreno, but the version of Moreno he faced was not at his best—more like someone just spamming overhands. It’s still a notable win, but there are asterisks around it. After that fight, Moreno took a break, which shows he wasn’t at his peak form.
Taira, however, has a lot to prove here, and it’s clear the UFC wants to push him. This is probably Taira’s easiest matchup in the top five. A fight against Kai Kara-France, for instance, would be much tougher. I don’t think Taira’s striking defense is solid enough yet to handle Kai’s power. He’s been caught a few times before, even by unranked fighters, and his defensive awareness could be better. He does get hit more than you’d expect for someone at his level.
On the flip side, Royval’s takedown defense is a major weak point. He got taken down by a tired, fifth-round Alexandre Pantoja, even though Royval is supposed to be the cardio guy. If Taira can secure takedowns and control the fight, it’s going to be a good night for him. Taira’s control time and grappling could be a huge factor in this five-round bout.
This is the first time Taira will be going five rounds, so it’ll be interesting to see how his cardio holds up. Royval has good cardio and might be able to capitalize on that in the later rounds. If Royval has been working on his takedown defense, he could make this fight competitive, especially if it stays on the feet. But if Taira can take him down and neutralize him on the ground, it’s going to be a tough fight for Royval.
Overall, I’m leaning towards Taira because of his grappling advantage. His striking is decent, but it’s his ground game that will be the key here. Royval’s striking and cardio are strong, but his ground game leaves him vulnerable. This fight will really test both fighters’ skill sets and adaptability.
The fact that this is a Fight Night main event and a potential title eliminator is a big deal for the flyweight division. It’s nice to see the UFC giving these fighters the spotlight they deserve. Flyweights have been disrespected in the past, with high-level fights buried in the prelims, but this is different. It’s a chance for these guys to showcase their talents in a five-round main event.
It’s great to see the UFC putting together matchups like this. We have other solid main events lined up too, like Alex Pereira vs. Anthony Hernandez. If the UFC keeps delivering quality main events, it’ll be a good look for the sport.
Flyweight is looking exciting right now, especially with the possibility of Henry Cejudo returning to the division. There’s a lot to look forward to, and I can’t wait to see what happens in this fight. It should be a great showcase for both fighters and the division as a whole.That was my opinion on the Royval vs Taira prediction. Tell us yours in comment section. Looking forward to more matchups like this—hopefully, the UFC keeps up the momentum!
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