UFC Fight Night: Taira vs. Park Preview and Predictions

Back in the friendly confines of the UFC Apex, the promotion puts on a Fight Night card that features a flyweight main event. Originally slated to face Amir Albazi, Tatsuro Taira’s name still adorns the marquee but he will instead take on Hyun Sun Park. Coming off of his first professional loss, Taira looks to get back in the win column by defeating Park and taking the zero from his loss column.

In the co-main event, two lightweight scrappers will throw down as they both look to make the difficult move from prospect to contender. Chris Duncan and Mateusz Rebecki are both entering their sixth fight under the UFC banner and need a statement victory to set them apart in the talent stacked division at 155 lbs. The victor will likely earn a fight against a ranked opponent next, while the loser will have to dust himself off for an even longer climb to the top of the rankings.

UFC Vegas 108 airs live on ESPN+ starting at 6 p.m. ET.

Park Hyun-Sung took this fight on short notice; can the undefeated Korean fighter make a big statement?

Sumian: Park Hyun-Sung is certainly a formidable prospect and has thus far made quite an impact in the flyweight division. However, going up against Tatsuo Taira on short notice is an entirely different game. Park is an established finisher and has looked better every time he steps foot into the octagon. A win over Taira will undoubtedly launch Park into the upper tier of the flyweight division and position him for a title shot sooner rather than later.

I am not really sure what to make of Taira. He undoubtedly lost a clear decision to Brandon Royval in his last UFC appearance and won a controversial TKO via knee injury against Alex Perez. Despite his initial success in the division, Taira does not stand out as a future champion. He is a fantastic grappler but is ultimately one dimension at this point in his career. However, if he is able to control the grappling exchanges, it is certainly possible for him to defeat the majority of flyweight contenders.

Despite Taira’s experience, I am going to go with Park in a highly competitive and entertaining bout. Park will get it done via split decision and officially announce his arrival to the upper tier of flyweight.

Petela: Short-notice fights can make an easily predictable outcome become more of a coin flip because of the lack of preparation. That speaks volumes about the evolution of mixed martial arts. The training regimen that is geared to certain opponents gets thrown out the window and fighters have to rely heavily on their general skills that they have developed over their years of training.

With that being said, I think Tatsuro Taira will get the victory this weekend. He may have been preparing for a different opponent but he should be in excellent cardiovascular shape and able to maintain a higher pace than his opponent. A decision is more likely to go his way specifically because he will be able to create more volume in the later rounds as Park tires. That’s how I think he gets it done. A close fight for the first fifteen minutes that becomes more lopsided once the men reach the main event rounds.

Both Chris Duncan and Mateusz Rebecki are 4-1 under the UFC banner; which lightweight prospect gets the win and takes a step towards becoming a contender?

Petela: This is a fight that is simultaneously very exciting and also a bit of a bummer because it means that whoever loses this fight will have an incredibly difficult run towards the top of the division. With Dustin Poirier retiring and the other fighters of his generation nearing the end of their careers, the door has been opened for the next crop of lightweights. Both Chris Duncan and Mateusz Rebecki are fighters that could be staples on the UFC roster for the next several years. They represent the next generation of mixed martial artists with well rounded skill sets and a high profile spot on the fight card will get their names out there with the bulk of the audience.

I expect this to be a very entertaining fight. Ultimately, I believe that Rebecki will be able to control positions along the fence line and on the ground to get a decision victory but he will doll out and take a fair amount of punishment. A standing ovation from the crowd as the final horn sounds for what could be fight of the night and a win for the Polish standout.

Sumian: Agreed with my colleague here. Giving the slight edge to Rebecki but this will be a really interesting fight till the sound of the bell. Both have great futures in the division and should find tons of success.

What one fighter’s UFC career is on the ropes at this event?

Sumian: He is certainly not in danger of being cut, but Rodolfo Vieira really needs to turn it on after the hype he had coming into the UFC. He is 3-3 in his last six UFC fights and really needs to make some headway to stay relevant in the UFC at 35 years of age.

Petela: Neil Magny. He has lost two in a row and four of his last six. Combine that with his advanced fighting age, he will turn 38 the day after this fight, it might be the end of the road for the Haitian fighter. Long considered the last gatekeeper for up and coming fighters en route to fights with the division’s elite, Magny is in desperate need of a win or else he may see his spot on the roster claimed by a prospect with a bright future.

Which fight is the sleeper match-up on this card?

Petela: Rinya Nakamura vs. Nathan Fletcher. Either Fletcher is heading to the land of wind and ghosts or Nakamura is losing a limb in this one. I just don’t see these two going the distance. Nakamura has won more than half of his fights by knockout and Fletcher has seven submissions. If Nakamura can stay upright he has a good chance at closing the show with a flurry but if it hits the ground, Fletcher will dominate. Definitely tune in early to watch this scrap.

Sumian: The lightweight matchup between Elves Brener and Esteban Ribovics is probably the fight I am most excited about. I think these two will put on a fight of the night performance and earn some extra money.

Who takes home the “Performance of the Night” honors?

Sumian: Elizeu Zaleksi dos Santos. Unfortunately, he will knock Neil Magny out and earn a well deserved bonus. This may be the last time we see Magny in the UFC octagon.

Petela: I have made this statement before and maybe it is because as I get older I become more of a grappling nerd but I think Rodolfo Vieira gets a standout finish this weekend. He is coming off of a decision loss to Andre Petroski after two back-to-back submission wins. I think that he grabs ahold of Tresean Gore’s neck early on in the fight, doesn’t let go and chokes him to sleep.

Pair this card with…

Petela: Totino’s pizza rolls. Like the main event, it’s a solid last minute solution. Not exactly what you were expecting when your buddy says he will have pizza at his house but all in all you aren’t disappointed when he pops them in the microwave for a few minutes. Sure, the roof of your mouth may be burning after you eat a few but definitely well worth it.

Sumian: Stale potato chips. Sometimes, even stale potato chips deliver exactly what you need in that moment to satiate that craving for salty goodness. This card won’t get your tastebuds going or result in anyone yelling, “yummy!”. However, it will get the job done and deliver several fun fights and an above average main event.