Tatsuro Taira looks to reenter UFC men’s flyweight title contention when he goes head-to-head with HyunSung Park in the main event at UFC Fight Night on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with prelims at 6 p.m. also on ESPN/ESPN+).
Taira, ESPN’s No. 7-ranked flyweight, suffered the first loss of his professional career in his last Octagon appearance, dropping a split decision to Brandon Royval in October. Before the loss, he was riding a 16-fight winning streak.
Park, unranked by ESPN, has finished all three of his opponents since making his UFC debut in February 2023. Park earned a UFC contract by winning the “Road to UFC” tournament in 2022.
Also this weekend, the 2025 PFL championships kick off with the welterweight and featherweight finals. The fights will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Friday (9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with prelims at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+).
In the main event, PFL newcomer Thad Jean vies for his first promotional title when he squares off with former Bellator competitor Logan Storley for the welterweight belt. In the co-main event, Jesus Pinedo takes on Movlid Khaybulaev for the featherweight championship.
ESPN MMA analyst and commentator Din Thomas provides his UFC main event prediction, and ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds insight on the value bets available on both fight cards.
Men’s flyweight: Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park
Prediction: Taira by submission
This matchup will be closely contested early, and Park will look good at that point. He’s a great athlete with solid striking and decent movement. This is a big opportunity, and he’ll take advantage in the early rounds. Park is a good fighter, but Taira may be a special fighter. And the fight that he had with Royval should’ve taught him a lot. Taira has some of the slickest ground technique in the UFC. After his first loss, I think he learned how to manage rounds better and can secure a late finish. — Din Thomas
Betting analysis
Odds accurate as of publication. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET.
Parker: Taira to win by submission or decision. In a last-minute switch, rising prospect Park steps in for Amir Albazi to fight in the main event. This is a fun matchup between two high-level grapplers. However, Taira is more experienced against quality competition. Which explains why Taira is a near 3-to-1 favorite. Park has been impressive, but Taira is better everywhere the fight may go. To get better odds, take Taira to win by submission or decision.
Parker’s best bets on the rest of the UFC card
0:36
Mateusz Rebecki gets his 15th win in a row with TKO
Mateusz Rebecki puts on a great performance with second-round TKO against Loik Radzhabov.
Lightweight: Mateusz Rebecki vs. Chris Duncan
Over 1.5 rounds (-145). Two teammates are squaring off in the co-main event, which could earn fight of the night honors. Duncan has won back-to-back fights as the betting underdog and finds himself in a similar spot here. I’m leaning toward Rebecki in this bout due to his strength and solid ground control. However, Duncan has good submission defense to keep himself out of harm’s way. Take the over 1.5 rounds here. Unless Rebecki gets caught early, expect him to utilize his wrestling to control Duncan.
Welterweight: Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Dos Santos to win (-210). This line should be wider, as dos Santos has more paths to victory than Magny. On the feet, dos Santos is unpredictable, but he has a good ground game to fall back on. Meanwhile, Magny only has a cardio advantage in his favor. Magny’s durability has declined over the years, and a matchup against dos Santos doesn’t bode well for him. As a near 2-to-1 favorite, I’m taking the dos Santos moneyline.
Featherweight: Austin Bashi vs. John Yannis
Bashi to win inside the distance. Yannis stepped up on short notice to make his UFC debut against Bashi. This is a tough matchup, especially in your debut. Bashi is a near 5-to-1 favorite despite taking a loss in his UFC debut in January. Look for Bashi to utilize his wrestling and get this fight to the mat as quickly as possible and get it done inside the distance. Feel free to toss him in your parlay as well.
Parker’s best bets on the PFL card
0:53
Thad Jean’s vicious punch leads to KO victory
Thad Jean drops Mukhamed Berkhamov with a vicious punch and finishes him off with a KO win in the first round.
Welterweight championship: Thad Jean vs. Logan Storley
Jean to win (-240). Jean is a rising star for the PFL. He looks to remain undefeated with a win against Storley. Jean has to keep this fight standing. On the feet, the striking isn’t even close. Jean has the speed and power advantage. I expect Jean to defend the early onslaught of takedown attempts from Storley and eventually land a knockout strike.
Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo vs. Movlid Khaybulaev
Pinedo to win (-175). Pinedo’s return to the PFL tournament has been chaotic and exciting. He won both his fights this season by first-round knockout. Khaybulaev has not looked close to the dominant version of himself. I believe he takes the first loss of his career in this matchup. Look for Pinedo to defend the takedowns early and pressure Khaybulaev with a ton of strikes, before eventually landing the fight-ending strike.
