UFC Fight Night main card preview & top picks | Royval v Taira

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Taira at the Apex in Las Vegas this Saturday night features a number of fighters looking to bounce back from recent defeats. Highlights include a middleweight bout between Brad Tavares and Park Jun-yong, a grappling contest featuring Grant Dawson and Rafa Garcia, and an explosive encounter between Chidi Njokuani and Jared Gooden. Read on for BP’s fight previews and free UFC betting tips.

Brandon Royval v Tatsuro Taira

Brandon Royval vs Tatsuro Taira

Tatsuro Taira will be aiming to keep his perfect record intact when he takes on flyweight rival Brandon Royval in the main event this weekend. See our Royval vs Taira betting preview and top picks here.

Brad Tavares v Park Jun-yong

Brad Tavares vs Park Jun-yong

Brad Tavares (20-10-0) has struggled for form since 2022, posting three losses and one win. Two of those defeats came via knockout, and the 36-year-old’s chin might be waning after a long UFC career that started in 2010. The American’s most likely path to victory is to avoid straight punches and submission attempts in a bid to secure a decision result.

Park Jun-yong (17-6-0) is coming off a narrow decision loss to Andre Muniz, breaking a winning run of four straight victories. The 33-year-old appears to have no issues with his durability and has only been knocked out once in his professional career. The Korean enters this bout as a warm favourite with top online bookmakers and should have too much energy for Tavares.

Chidi Njokuani v Jared Gooden

Chidi Njokuani vs Jared Gooden

Chidi Njokuani (23-10-0) has produced mixed results since 2022, posting two wins and three losses. The 35-year-old strikes with great power but can get a little sloppy when tired, leaving himself open to counterstrikes. Standing tall and boasting a long reach, the American has all the necessary physical attributes but has been hampered by psychological frailties across his professional MMA career.

Jared Gooden (23-9-0) was cut from the UFC roster in 2021 following a loss to Randy Brown, but he fought his way back with four wins on rival promotions. He put in a solid showing on return, losing a close decision result to Carlston Harris, before impressing with a second-round submission win over Wellington Thurman. The 30-year-old is also a heavy hitter, and this contest appears unlikely to last the distance.

Grant Dawson v Rafa Garcia

Grant Dawson vs Rafa Garcia

Grant Dawson (21-2-1) has lost just once in five bouts since 2022. The 30-year-old suffered a 33-second knockout to Bobby Green in 2023 but bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Joe Solecki in June of this year. Dawson holds a black belt in BJJ, and 13 of his 21 professional wins have come via submission, but he may need to rely on a more complete strategy this time.

Rafa Garcia (16-3-0) has not fought since April 2023, when he prevailed over veteran Clay Guida via unanimous decision. The 30-year-old also boasts an excellent win rate via submission, and grappling fans will be keen to see these athletes trade positions on the mat. The Mexican appears to be outmatched in the striking department, and UFC betting sites have him slated as the biggest underdog on the main card.

Daniel Rodriguez v Alex Morono

Daniel Rodriguez vs Alex Morono

Daniel Rodriguez (17-5-0) has dropped his last three UFC bouts and needs to lift to avoid being cut from the roster. The 37-year-old found MMA late in life but might be showing the wear and tear of age. The losses have all come against quality opponents in Kelvin Gastelum, Ian Garry and Neil Magny, but a fourth loss might signal the end for Rodriguez.

Alex Morono (24-10-0) is a fearless kickboxer who relentlessly walks forward with intent. The 34-year-old is coming off a decision loss to Nico Price after securing a unanimous points win over Court McGee in April, and he should be the fresher and more confident combatant. If Morono is allowed to dominate the centre of the octagon and bound in and out of range, he should have too many weapons for Rodriguez.

Abdul Razak Alhassan v Josh Fremd

Abdul Razak Alhassan vs Josh Fremd

Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-6-0) is coming off a no-contest bout against Cody Brundage that was called off following a barrage of illegal elbow strikes to the back of the American’s head. This fiasco followed a submission loss to the impressive Joe Pyfer, and the 39-year-old Ghanian will be out to make amends in what appears to be a favourable matchup.

Josh Fremd (11-6-0) has struggled in his last two appearances, losing to Andre Petroski and Roman Kopylov. The 30-year-old runs hot and cold due to defensive and focus issues, and he will enter the cage as a betting outsider with leading UFC bookies in a contest that might deliver some early fireworks.

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