UFC Vegas 98 picks and predictions
See who we are picking to win this weekend.
The 98th instalment of UFC Veg-ass is upon us. To be fair, the main event is a bit of a banger with flyweight contenders Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira set to tangle. The rest of the card… yeesh.
Brad Tavares? Niko Price? Daniel Rodriguez? That’s probably your lot when it comes to name value on the card. That doesn’t mean we won’t have some good fights. The aforementioned Price might put on a good show opposite Themba Gorimbo. But this isn’t a card that deserves a ton of attention.
Unless… that is, you’re having a little wager on it. And if that is you, then maybe our picks will be of use. If you are using our expert-ish guidance for gambling purposes, please do so responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. If you win, hurray. If you lose, don’t blame us.
Scroll down if you’re curious to see our picks. Hope you enjoy them, regardless if you’re betting.
Brandon Royval (+240) vs. Tatsuro Taira (-300)
Miguel Class: Taira took a big jump up in the rankings when he fought Alex Perez in June and now he’s getting another chance to continue his rapid ascent when he takes on the guy ranked number one in the division, Brandon Royval.
As far as big jumps in competition go, this is a far more forgiving style matchup than the Perez fight though as Royval has scarcely seen a takedown he wanted to defend. It’s not just that Royval’s wrestling defense is lacking, it’s also that nearly every aspect of his stance, style, and frame make him vulnerable to wrestling threats.
And while he’s a willing scrambler who acts quickly in the brief moments before any control is secured, he doesn’t have disciplined or technical getups. That means that opponents like Pantoja are able to see his escapes coming and use them as opportunities to land strikes or advance position.
On the feet, Royval can trouble Taira with his long range volume. Taira is a fighter who favors clean exchanges where he can work setups while he focuses on maintaining a balanced stance and a good position in the cage. Royval can get after him, extend exchanges past the point Taira feels comfortable, and give him no room to breathe.
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