UFC Vegas 98 Results: Winners And Losers From Royval Vs. Taira ...

3 days ago

Forbes

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (R-L) Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira of Japan hug after a ... [+] flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

In one of the best UFC flyweight fights in recent memory, No. 1 ranked Brandon Royval turned back No. 5 ranked Tatsuro Taira in a hard-fought five-round battle. The contest served as the main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 98 fight card.

The question heading into tonight’s UFC Fight Night card, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, was if the veteran Royval could hold off the surging Taira. Royval did so, but he had to dig deep and make a late adjustment to come up with the win.

Royval dominated the action on the feet, but whenever the fight went to the mat, Taira stuck to Royval’s back, giving him no room to generate offense. Thanks to his body triangles, Taira also prevented Royval from getting to his feet. That changed in the fifth round when Royval, listening to the advice of his coaches, refused to allow Taira to take his back when the fight hit that mat. That effort in the final stanza from the 10-fight UFC veteran made all the difference, earning Royval the split-decision victory.

As for Taira, expect him to learn some valuable lessons from this setback and return a better fight in his next UFC outing.

In short, the UFC Vegas 98 main event was a spectacular fight, and it won’t be a surprise to see Royval and Taira run this one back at some point in a title eliminator or a title fight.

Below, we look at the UFC Vegas 98 results, winners and losers, and reactions.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (L-R) Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira of Japan hug after a ... [+] flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC UFC Vegas 98 Winners

Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira: In what was one of the best UFC flyweight fights in recent memory, Brandon Royval held onto his No. 1 ranking in the division with a split decision win over the rising Tatsuro Taira, who tasted defeat for the first time in his MMA career.

Royval’s cardio, striking, and experience carried him to victory, but the win was not easy. The 24-year-old Taira showed he is among the best 125-pound fighters on the mat. When Taira got things to the ground he stuck to Royval like glue, preventing him from mounting offense and keeping him from getting to his feet.

Where Royval excelled was in the striking. His output and pressure were too much for the younger fighter to adjust to. Taira was far too content to be a defensive striker against some as active as Royval, and that cost him.

Royval will stay in the mix for a title shot with this win, and I expect the next time we see Taira, he will be better. How he responds to this defeat will determine how far Taira goes in the division, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t be a better fighter for his 25-minute experience against Royval.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: Brandon Royval reacts after a victory against Tatsuro Taira of Japan ... [+] in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Park Jun-yong: Park Jun-yong did a good job adjusting in fight during his middleweight co-main event against Brad Tavares. Park got dropped in the contest's opening seconds and then controlled the action whether it be in close against the fence in the open or on the ground.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (L-R) JunYong Park of South Korea punches Brad Tavares in a ... [+] middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Chidi Njokuani: Jared Gooden seemed to want to not give Chidi Njokuani time and space. Gooden did that, but he didn’t have an answer for Njokuani’s strikes in the clinch, which is where Njokuani dominated the fight.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (R-L) Chidi Njokuani knees Jared Gooden in a welterweight fight ... [+] during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Daniel Rodriguez: Daniel Rodriguez did not seem ready to engage in the first round of his welterweight scrap against Alex Morono. However, he picked things up in the second and third round, once he figured out his opponents movement.

The win ends a three-fight losing skid for Rodriguez.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (R-L) Daniel Rodriguez punches Alex Morono in a welterweight fight ... [+] during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Ramazan Temirov: Ramazan Temirov made his UFC debut on Saturday and showed out, knocking out C.J. Vergara in the first round.

The 27-year-old Temirov has a lot of power in his strikes, but he throws everything with 100 percent power, which is something he needs to get under control in a hurry if he hopes to succeed in the UFC’s flyweight division. Vergara could not make him pay for his recklessness.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (R-L) Ramazan Temirov of Uzbekistan punches CJ Vergara in a ... [+] flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Pat Sabatini: Pat Sabatini made zero mistakes in his featherweight scrap against Jonathan Pearce. His wrestling skills and ability to force Pearce to defend throughout the fight led to a rear-naked choke finish inside the final minute of the first round.

Sabatini was glued to Pearce throughout the fight, never giving his opponent time or space to do anything but defend.

Sabatini’s most recent fight before UFC Vegas 98 was a November 2023 knockout loss to Diego Lopes.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (L-R) Pat Sabatini secures a rear choke submission against Jonathan ... [+] Pearce in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Themba Gorimbo: Themba Gorimbo extended his winning streak to four fights with a complete performance against UFC veteran Niko Price. Gorimbo had the advantage in speed, output and grappling in picking up the unanimous decision win.

The 33-year-old looks ready for a step up in competition.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (R-L) Themba Gorimbo of Zimbabwe punches Niko Price in a ... [+] welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Junior Tafa: Junior Tafa looked good on the feet in the early moments of the first round in his heavyweight fight against Sean Sharaf, but a takedown late in the round saw Sharaf come close to finishing the fight.

Tafa looked tired at the start of the second round, but he had more cardio than his opponent, allowing him to throw powerful strikes and finish the fight.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (R-L) Junior Tafa of Australia punches Sean Sharaf in a heavyweight ... [+] fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Julia Polastri: Julia Polastri’s pressure and striking overwhelmed Cory McKenna in their strawweight scrap

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (L-R) Julia Polastri of Brazil battles Cory McKenna of Wales in a ... [+] strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Cody Haddon: Cody Haddon earned his UFC contract earlier this summer with a submission on an August Dana White’s Contender Series fight card. In his first official UFC contest, Haddon displayed a good striking game while also showing some gaps he needs to work on as he progresses with the promotion.

Haddon did his best work when he was active and kept the fight at distance. Haddon’s striking combinations allowed him to dictate the pace and location of the battle. When he wasn’t striking, his opponent, Dan Argueta, made him fight off a remarkable number of takedowns.

Haddon was sometimes reckless with his strikes, his guard was a bit low, and he was susceptible to calf kicks, but his takedown defense, output, and landing rate carried the day for him as he won the fight 30-27 on all three cards.

Haddon moved to 7-1 as a pro with the win.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: (L-R) Cody Haddon of Australia punches Dan Argueta in a bantamweight ... [+] fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC

Clayton Carpenter: Clayton Carpenter got Lucas Rocha thinking their flyweight bout would be contested on the feet. He then flipped the script and scored an easy takedown by changing levels when Rocha threw a sweeping hook. Once the fight was on the mat, Carpenter opened a nasty cut above his opponent's left eye with a short, sharp elbow. He then controlled the rest of the first round on the mat, looking to do more damage with elbows.

Carpenter scored an early takedown in the second round, which he used to secure a rear-naked choke that put Rocha to sleep. With the win, Carpenter, who had not fought since February 2023, moved to 8-0 as a pro.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: Clayton Carpenter reacts after a submission victory against Lucas ... [+] Rocha of Brazil in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zuffa LLC UFC Vegas 98 Losers

Brad Tavares: Brad Tavares opened his middleweight matchup against Park Jun-yong by scoring a knockdown and looking for a submission. However, once Park got to his feet, he took over the bout.

Rafa Garcia: Rafa Garcia’s lack of takedown defense and inability to get off the mat left him open to a nasty elbow that left him bloody and open to more strikes on the mat.

Alex Morono: Alex Morono had a good first round against Daniel Rodriguez. However, once his footwork and movement slowed in the second round, Rodriguez was able to find his range and score with heavier strikes to get the win.

Niko Price: Niko Price fell to 2-5-0-1 since May 2020 when he dropped a decision to Themba Gorimbo. A tough and game welterweight, the 35-year-old didn’t have much to offer on Saturday.

Sean Sharaf: Sean Sharaf did his best to put Junior Tafa away with heavy strikes in the first round, but Tafa took everything Sharaf had to offer on the feet. However, a takedown late in the first round showed a path to victory. However, he looked gassed in the second round and could not muster the strength to get the fight to the ground.

Cory McKenna: Cory McKenna had no plan in her fight against Julia Polastri other than to get the takedown. It took her until late in the third round before getting the fight to the mat, but she didn’t do much afterward.

Dan Argueta: Dan Argueta never gave up looking for a takedown against Cody Haddon, but he could not land many of his attempts. That approach and his inability to establish a striking game against his opponent, who kept a high pace throughout the fight, left Argueta on the wrong side of a decision.

Argueta came in overweight for the bantamweight bout as well. With the defeat, Argueta is on a two-fight losing skid.

Lucas Rocha: Lucas Rocha fell to 17-2 as a pro with a submission loss to Clayton Carpenter in the opening fight of UFC Vegas 98. Rocha had fast and effective striking, mixing up his targets and techniques, but his takedown defense was nonexistent. He gave up two takedowns on three attempts and could not work his way off the mat before Carpenter turned out Rocha’s lights with a rear-naked choke.

UFC Vegas 98 Fight Card Results UFC Vegas 98 Main Card

Brandon Royval defeats Tatsuro Taira via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)

Park Jun-yong defeats Brad Tavares via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Chidi Njokuani defeats Jared Gooden via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

Grant Dawson defeats Rafa Garcia via TKO at 1:42 of Round 2 (Punches to head from back control)

Daniel Rodriguez defeats Alex Morono via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

UFC Vegas 98 Prelims

Ramazan Temirov defeats C.J. Vergara via TKO at 2:50 of Round 1 (Punch to body at distance)

Pat Sabatini defeats Jonathan Pearce via submission at 4:06 of Round 1 (Rear-naked choke)

Themba Gorimbo defeats Niko Price via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

Junior Tafa defeats Sean Sharaf via TKO at 2:15 of Round 2 (Punches to head at distance)

Julia Polastri defeats Cory McKenna via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)