Brandon Royval is aware of what it’s prefer to be a hungry challenger.
The flyweight veteran scraped and clawed his method to a UFC title shot, falling simply in need of the gold with a call loss to Alexandre Pantoja this previous December. A razor-thin win over two-time champion Brandon Moreno nudged Royval nearer to a rematch, however there’s nonetheless work to be finished if he desires one other crack at it and which means beating the undefeated Tatsuro Taira this Saturday in the principle occasion of UFC Vegas 98.
On this “what have you ever finished for me currently?” enterprise, Taira has the chance to steal Royval’s spot—at present tied for No. 2 within the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, properly forward of Taira at No. 8—and leap proper into the title image. Which isn’t to say Taira gained’t have earned it as he’s at present 16-0 with six wins within the UFC. Oh, and he doesn’t flip 25 till January.
Pantoja ought to watch this headliner carefully as a result of he may very well be scouting his subsequent challenger.
In different predominant card motion, Brad Tavares makes his twenty fifth UFC look, a file within the middleweight division, Chidi Njokuani continues to check the welterweight waters, Grant Dawson seems to be to maneuver nearer to the light-weight high 15, welterweight veterans Daniel Rodriguez and Alex Morono sq. off, and Abdul Razak Alhassan targets a quick end in opposition to Josh Fremd.
What: UFC Vegas 98
The place: UFC APEX in Las Vegas
When: Saturday, Oct. 12. The seven-fight preliminary card begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+, adopted by a five-fight predominant card at 7 p.m. ET additionally on ESPN+.
Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira
It’s scary the speed at which Tatsuro Taira is evolving and that’s why I like his probabilities in opposition to Brandon Royval.
Make no mistake, that is the most important take a look at for Taira but. The Japanese wunderkind appeared good in opposition to Alex Perez earlier than a grappling change that Taira managed resulted in Perez blowing out his knee, however exterior of that he’s but to carry out in opposition to the most effective that flyweight has to supply. He’s clearly the category of his tier, however how will that translate in opposition to an opponent that simply went 25 minutes in a title struggle eight months in the past?
When Royval fights to his potential, he’s nearly as good as anybody at 125 kilos. What he struggles with is discovering the best steadiness between his pure aggression and using a extra technical gameplan, which may result in combined outcomes. He’s much more battle-tested than Taira although, an necessary issue to contemplate when a younger fighter is being requested to take a step up in competitors.
The secret for Taira must be working for takedowns, and rinsing and repeating that technique till he’s annoyed Royval into submission. Taira has proven he can strike, however he gained’t wish to mess with Royval’s unpredictable energy if he will help it. It’s time for Taira to point out his all-around abilities are worthy of a title alternative.
We’re swinging huge right here and choosing Taira to beat Royval through submission in Spherical 2.
Choose: Taira
Brad Tavares vs. Jun Yong Park
It’s the middleweight division’s Iron Man vs. “The Iron Turtle.”
No middleweight has made extra UFC appearances than Brad Tavares, who has been with the group since 2010. He’s the final word gamer, having misplaced to a number of elite names whereas nonetheless stringing collectively sufficient wins to maintain himself employed. He gained’t be intimidated within the slightest by Jun Yong Park.
This shall be a back-and-forth battle for 3 rounds, neither fighter prone to join with a telling blow that lets the judges toss their scorecards. Park has proven flashes of a spot within the rankings, however hasn’t finished sufficient to cross that threshold simply but. To beat Tavares, he has to high the output of a veteran identified for his continuous exercise.
Relating to battles of attrition, Tavares usually finds a method to just do sufficient to sway the scoring in his favor and I anticipate that to be the case Saturday as properly. He occasions his entries to counter Park’s efficient jab sport, stuffs any takedown makes an attempt, and outpoints Park to take a unanimous determination.
Choose: Tavares
Chidi Njokuani vs. Jared Gooden
Jared Gooden couldn’t have picked a worse time to miss weight.
In case you haven’t observed, the newest season of Dana White’s Contender Sequence is wrapping quickly and which means slightly fall house-cleaning, because it had been. So the very last thing you wish to be doing is messing round on the dimensions, particularly if you don’t have probably the most spotless file.
Gooden is 1-1 in his second UFC stint (2-4 general) and given that is the third time he’s missed weight within the promotion, there’s no good method to put it: he’s preventing to remain on the roster right here. That worst-case state of affairs might encourage him to a career-best efficiency when the bell rings, however the reality he missed weight within the first place ought to increase issues as to his degree of preparation.
His opponent Chidi Njokuani was as soon as identified for his incapacity to chop right down to 170 kilos, however he made that weight for his most up-to-date struggle with Rhys McKee and following that break up determination win he’s trying to show he deserves greater fights. His pace and placing have all the time made him an intriguing expertise and as he approaches his thirty sixth birthday, it’s now or by no means for him.
For now, he ought to handily out-strike Gooden and foil his makes an attempt to take the struggle to the bottom. A targeted Njokuani ought to finish this through knockout within the first or second spherical.
Choose: Njokuani
Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia
Listed generously at 5-foot-7, Rafa Garcia is used to being the low man each time he enters the octagon, so I’m curious to see how he offers with the brawny Grant Dawson.
Garcia is robust as an ox and likes to throw looping hooks en route takedown makes an attempt. He’s in powerful in opposition to Dawson, a fellow grappler that shall be powerful to outwrestle. It’s fully potential they neutralize one another’s wrestling, leading to a standup battle I feel Dawson wins.
True, we haven’t seen a lot of Dawson on the toes and what he have seen has been a piece in progress, however he strikes me as somebody who remains to be growing his placing, not somebody who’s incapable of it. His measurement and energy—and the tough classes realized in his loss to Bobby Inexperienced—ought to give him the benefit right here. If Dawson can sprinkle in a couple of takedowns, all the higher.
Garcia will make him work for it, however Dawson by determination.
Choose: Dawson
Daniel Rodriguez vs. Alex Morono
As talked about above, the UFC is in a reducing temper, so let’s hope that doesn’t spell doom for the loser of Daniel Rodriguez vs. Alex Morono. Regardless that neither fighter is ever prone to compete for a world title, they nonetheless have rather a lot to supply.
They’ll get to point out it on this matchup of two strikers, Rodriguez higher identified for his artful and technical type, and Morono extra liable to well timed bursts of motion. Neither man is prone to come out weapons blazing, so anticipate this to return off as a high-level sparring match with slightly blood sprinkled in. That’s the most effective you’ll be able to ask for with these APEX playing cards, generally.
When he’s on, Rodriguez seems to be like a top-15 welterweight. I like his probabilities of channeling a few of his prime kind in opposition to Morono. It’s Rodriguez’s struggle to lose and I see him profitable the vast majority of exchanges over the course of three rounds to take a cushty, if uneventful determination.
Choose: Rodriguez
Preliminaries
Ramazan Temirov def. CJ Vergara
Pat Sabatini def. Jonathan Pearce
Themba Gorimbo def. Niko Price
Cory McKenna def. Julia Polastri
Sean Sharaf def. Junior Tafa
Cody Haddon def. Dan Argueta
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