Brandon Royval (16-7) is a former UFC Flyweight title challenger who’s fought the who’s who of this division. On October 12, he’s taking on rising star Tatsuro Taira (16-0). This is arguably the biggest challenge in Taira’s career, and if he wins at UFC Apex, he might get to challenge for the title in the near future. So, will he win? That’s what we’re here to answer with our Royval vs. Taira preview.
Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brandon Royval | +170 |
| Tatsuro Taira | -200 |
182 players claimed the offer this month
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024
- Time: ~10:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ESPN+
Brandon “Raw Dog” Royval Coming to Vegas as a +170 Underdog
Brandon Royval is a former LFA champ who’s been with the UFC since 2020. He’s fought nine fights in Dana White’s promotion, winning six of those.
When it comes to his losses, he lost to current champion Alexandre Pantoja twice, with one of those being a title fight. He also lost once to Brandon Moreno but got his revenge in February this year in what was an incredibly brutal fight that hurt both fighters.
“Raw Dog” has fought against four of the top 10 UFC flyweights, as well as against the divisional champion. For all these reasons, it’s no surprise he’s regarded highly in the UFC universe. In fact, he’s currently the No. 1 contender.
But will he get another shot at the title? He most certainly will if he beats another title candidate, Tatsuro Taira. Unless the UFC Fight Night 244 ends in a boring decision win, we’ll probably see the winner getting a title shot. And judging by the UFC odds, it’s going to be Taira.
Reasons Why UFC Fight Night 244 Odds Favor Tatsuro Taira
Born in 2000 on the Japanese island of Okinawa, Tatsuro Taira is a 15-0 rising star of the UFC Flyweight Division. He’s been fighting since 2018, with his record being 15-0. Six of those wins happened in the UFC, the most recent of which was against Alex Perez in June this year.
Taira beat him by a TKO, which came as a result of Perez’s knee injury. Nevertheless, the Japanese fighter did put on a great show that evening, earning himself his second Performance of the Night bonus.
He’s great striking-wise, but he’s even better when it comes to dodging strikes. He absorbs just 1.70 significant strikes per minute, which is way better than most other flyweights. For example, Royval gets hit 3.42 times per 60 seconds.
Still, Taira’s strongest weapon is wrestling. He lands 2.35 takedowns per a 3-round fight and has won 7 fights by submission. This is very bad news for Royval whose TD defense is just 40%. However, Royval does have 9 submission wins in his portfolio.
Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira Prediction
Royval has experience on his side, but Taira has an advantage in practically everything else. He’s fast and agile, with a great set of skills. Plus, he’s a fantastic wrestler, who should be able to ragdoll his opponent at UFC Apex.
Pick: Tatsuro Taira
