Expert picks, best bets: How Taira can avoid an upset loss at UFC Fight Night

Tatsuro Taira looks to reenter UFC men's flyweight rubric contention erstwhile helium goes head-to-head with HyunSung Park successful the main lawsuit astatine UFC Fight Night connected Saturday astatine the UFC Apex successful Las Vegas (9 p.m. ET connected ESPN/ESPN+, with prelims astatine 6 p.m. besides connected ESPN/ESPN+).

Taira, ESPN's No. 7-ranked flyweight, suffered the archetypal nonaccomplishment of his nonrecreational vocation successful his past Octagon appearance, dropping a divided determination to Brandon Royval successful October. Before the loss, helium was riding a 16-fight winning streak.

Park, unranked by ESPN, has finished each 3 of his opponents since making his UFC debut successful February 2023. Park earned a UFC declaration by winning the "Road to UFC" tourney successful 2022.

Also this weekend, the 2025 PFL championships footwear disconnected with the welterweight and featherweight finals. The fights volition instrumentality spot astatine Boardwalk Hall successful Atlantic City, New Jersey, connected Friday (9 p.m. ET connected ESPN/ESPN+, with prelims astatine 6:30 p.m. connected ESPN+).

In the main event, PFL newcomer Thad Jean vies for his archetypal promotional rubric erstwhile helium squares disconnected with erstwhile Bellator rival Logan Storley for the welterweight belt. In the co-main event, Jesus Pinedo takes connected Movlid Khaybulaev for the featherweight championship.

ESPN MMA expert and commentator Din Thomas provides his UFC main lawsuit prediction, and ESPN betting adept Ian Parker adds penetration connected the worth bets disposable connected some combat cards.

Men's flyweight: Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park

Prediction: Taira by submission

This matchup volition beryllium intimately contested early, and Park volition look bully astatine that point. He's a large jock with coagulated striking and decent movement. This is simply a large opportunity, and he'll instrumentality vantage successful the aboriginal rounds. Park is simply a bully fighter, but Taira whitethorn beryllium a peculiar fighter. And the combat that helium had with Royval should've taught him a lot. Taira has immoderate of the slickest crushed method successful the UFC. After his archetypal loss, I deliberation helium learned however to negociate rounds amended and tin unafraid a precocious finish. -- Din Thomas

Betting analysis

Odds close arsenic of publication. For the astir up-to-date odds, sojourn ESPN BET.

Parker: Taira to triumph by submission oregon decision. In a last-minute switch, rising imaginable Park steps successful for Amir Albazi to combat successful the main event. This is simply a amusive matchup betwixt 2 high-level grapplers. However, Taira is much experienced against prime competition. Which explains wherefore Taira is simply a adjacent 3-to-1 favorite. Park has been impressive, but Taira is amended everyplace the combat whitethorn go. To get amended odds, instrumentality Taira to triumph by submission oregon decision.

Parker's champion bets connected the remainder of the UFC card

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Mateusz Rebecki gets his 15th triumph successful a enactment with TKO

Mateusz Rebecki puts connected a large show with second-round TKO against Loik Radzhabov.

Lightweight: Mateusz Rebecki vs. Chris Duncan

Over 1.5 rounds (-145). Two teammates are squaring disconnected successful the co-main event, which could gain combat of the nighttime honors. Duncan has won back-to-back fights arsenic the betting underdog and finds himself successful a akin spot here. I'm leaning toward Rebecki successful this bout owed to his spot and coagulated crushed control. However, Duncan has bully submission defence to support himself retired of harm's way. Take the implicit 1.5 rounds here. Unless Rebecki gets caught early, expect him to utilize his wrestling to power Duncan.

Welterweight: Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Dos Santos to triumph (-210). This enactment should beryllium wider, arsenic dos Santos has much paths to triumph than Magny. On the feet, dos Santos is unpredictable, but helium has a bully crushed crippled to autumn backmost on. Meanwhile, Magny lone has a cardio vantage successful his favor. Magny's durability has declined implicit the years, and a matchup against dos Santos doesn't bode good for him. As a adjacent 2-to-1 favorite, I'm taking the dos Santos moneyline.

Featherweight: Austin Bashi vs. John Yannis

Bashi to triumph wrong the distance. Yannis stepped up connected abbreviated announcement to marque his UFC debut against Bashi. This is simply a pugnacious matchup, particularly successful your debut. Bashi is simply a adjacent 5-to-1 favourite contempt taking a nonaccomplishment successful his UFC debut successful January. Look for Bashi to utilize his wrestling and get this combat to the mat arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable and get it done wrong the distance. Feel escaped to flip him successful your parlay arsenic well.

Parker's champion bets connected the PFL card

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Thad Jean's vicious punch leads to KO victory

Thad Jean drops Mukhamed Berkhamov with a vicious punch and finishes him disconnected with a KO triumph successful the archetypal round.

Welterweight championship: Thad Jean vs. Logan Storley

Jean to triumph (-240). Jean is simply a rising prima for the PFL. He looks to stay undefeated with a triumph against Storley. Jean has to support this combat standing. On the feet, the striking isn't adjacent close. Jean has the velocity and powerfulness advantage. I expect Jean to support the aboriginal onslaught of takedown attempts from Storley and yet onshore a knockout strike.

Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo vs. Movlid Khaybulaev

Pinedo to triumph (-175). Pinedo's instrumentality to the PFL tourney has been chaotic and exciting. He won some his fights this play by first-round knockout. Khaybulaev has not looked adjacent to the ascendant mentation of himself. I judge helium takes the archetypal nonaccomplishment of his vocation successful this matchup. Look for Pinedo to support the takedowns aboriginal and unit Khaybulaev with a ton of strikes, earlier yet landing the fight-ending strike.