UFC Vegas 108 showcases the flyweight division with an impromptu main event between Tatsuro Taira and Park Hyung-sung.
It's been two months since the UFC stopped through its APEX facility for a Fight Night, but have no fear, UFC Vegas 108 delivers exactly the type of card you'd expect for that return.
Despite Amir Albazi withdrawing from the main event, the consistently thrilling flyweight division still takes center stage. In fact, the replacement main event Arguably gained intrigue points — in place of Albazi steps the undefeated Park Hyun-sung, who gets his first headliner bout opposite the No. 8-ranked Tatsuro Taira.
With several bouts set to captivate the loaded and bustling warehouse-like building, calling UFC Vegas 108 an embarrassment of riches truly does not do it justice, folks.
👑 UFC Vegas 108's lineup Crown grade: F. 👑
Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM.
125 pounds: Tatsuro Taira (-350) vs. Park Hyun-sung (+275)
Park has admittedly been quite the party at 125 pounds, finishing everyone since his debut, a unanimous decision win in 2018. Similarly to Taira, he's entered the main event scene pretty quickly, despite it being a visit to the Apex.
The danger from Park comes at his opponents from every angle. If his quick and powerful boxing doesn't put an opponent away, it more often than not staggers them en route to a submission. Both are relatively larger flyweights, standing at 5-foot-7, which makes the striking exchanges all the more interesting because Taira should be at a decent disadvantage.
Taira is years ahead of his age in grappling talent, and his striking has yet to catch up, if it ever will. He's still only 25, so it would be surprising if it didn't at least near his strong groundwork in time. But some of the tactics and thoughts calculated by Taira are ridiculous to observe in real-time. The guy is a serious talent and a threat to everyone in the division. Even when clearly gassed throughout his last main event opposite Brandon Royval, he somehow survived until the very end.
In the long run, that Royval loss will have been a tremendous learning lesson for him, and this whole fight has the perfect makings of a clean rebound win, especially with the short-notice element. Taira will Taira, meaning he'll overwhelm Park en route to a submission before the third round.
Pick: Taira
155 pounds: Mateusz Rębecki (-210) vs. Chris Duncan (+170)
It's a crime that this fight is in the Apex, and someone needs to be punished for it. Seriously, did the UFC matchmakers even watch Mateusz Rebecki's Fight of 2024 Contender against Myktybek Orolbai? A co-main event slot is a nice consolation, but nothing more than a consolation for that life-altering effort put in.
Standing in his way will be Chris Duncan, who also comes to bang. With that said, he has submission chops to support his fan-friendly style, as he scored consecutive guillotine chokes in his recent appearances.
Rebecki just feels like he is progressing at a faster rate while facing better competition. Unless the Orolbai fight altered him permanently, he should be one step ahead of Duncan in this fight, minding his neck and pummeling his way to a victory.
Pick: Rebecki
155 pounds: Elves Brener (+200) vs. Esteban Ribovics (-250)
It's a crime that this fight is in the Apex, and someone needs to be punished for it. Seriously, did the UFC matchmakers even watch Esteban Ribovics's Fight of 2024 against Daniel Zellhuber?
OK, OK, to be fair, they didn't get the memo for his last fight against Nasrat Haqparast either, but I stand by it. At least Ribovics is coming off a loss this time, despite getting dealt the same treatment as Rebecki.
I underestimated Elves Brener upon his arrival in the UFC, and he came in and delivered. However, he was suddenly thrown to the wolves in the aforementioned Orolbai, along with Joel Alvarez. Listen, anyone in the division is going to go to war with either of those dudes, but for Brener to have to try and keep his job against Ribovics after those two losses is brutal.
This matchup is tailor-made for Ribovics to get back in the win column with a highlight-reel finish, rather than his previous two split-decision outcomes. The guy's toolbox is loaded with weapons set to work their magic on Brener, standing or on the ground.
Pick: Ribovics
135 pounds: Karol Rosa (-180) vs. Nora Cornolle (+145)
Karol Rosa's fall out of potential bantamweight contention has been one of the saddest things I've seen for a rising hopeful contender in recent years. I suppose it shouldn't be, considering it's bantamweight, but here we are.
Behind her fellow Brazilian Norma Dumont, Rosa has displayed some of the highest fight IQ among non-champions at 135 pounds in recent years. Her problem has just been putting it all into action fast enough. We've seen her come on strong late after getting down in fights like her clash with former title challengers Sara McMann and Irene Aldana. Rosa is arguably too well-rounded for her own good, and her record reflects that since the McMann loss in 2022, alternating results ever since.
Going off that last factoid alone, Rosa is in a good spot, as she lost her last fight to Ailin Perez.
Nora Cornolle is still one of the fresher faces among the few (and I mean few) prospects trying to make noise at bantamweight. She's able to grind and strikes serviceably from distance. Ultimately, Cornolle appears to be a featherweight masquerading in the division, having missed weight for two of her four UFC fights.
Rosa is still relatively young at 30, and I think only a few pieces are missing from her puzzle before she gets back in stride to climb the ladder. Cornolle is the perfect starting point.
Pick: Rosa
170 pounds: Neil Magny (+165) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (-200)
What even is bout order anymore? Realistically, Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos would have been everyone's rightful prediction for the co-main event, and arguably still should be.
I'm not arguing that, but one exists, alright?
Zaleski dos Santos is probably going to be a guy I believe in until he retires. His unique capoeira-based striking is just so fun and seemingly yet to slow down, similarly to his past opponent Muslim Salikhov. The only hole that's started to open up for the Brazilian is his weakened chin or inability to out-strength some of the larger, younger welterweights.
Neil Magny might have the size, or at least height, but that's it. He'll need to enter with the heaviest wrestling approach we've seen from him because Magny just can't hang with some of these versatile strikers anymore. And sure, he's been battling it out with the risers like Carlos Prates, Michael Morales and Ian Machado Garry (what a damn list), but Zaleski dos Santos provides entirely similar threats with his skillset. Again, he's just incapable of taking the same amount of damage as these young guns.
In a way, this feels like the potentially slightly more fun version of Court McGee vs. Michael Chiesa. That's not a high bar, but you know what I mean.
Pick: Zaleski dos Santos
145 pounds: Danny Silva (+350) vs. Kevin Vallejos (-475)
Kevin Vallejos is on a roll.
Outside of Jean Silva, the Argentinian has been perfect in his 16-fight career, and he's only 23. Danny Silva is a solid prospect in this talent-rich featherweight division, too. The difference is just what they've done in their careers so far.
Vallejos is putting people away left and right. Seung Woo Choi fell victim in Vallejos' debut last March, continuing his trend of brilliant performances. Silva won his first two UFC bouts via split decisions over Lucas Almeida and Josh Culibao, but Vallejos is a force he'll have to worry about for every second of their 15 minutes together. Vallejos' combination of vicious striking combinations, killer instinct and willingness to go take fights to the ground will overwhelm Silva.
Pick: Vallejos
Preliminary Notes
I feel bad for these Road to UFC fighters, who are transitioning from competing in the UFC China PI to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The tier system in the current era of the UFC is vast and complex. Nonetheless, Rinya Nakamura is seeking a finish after three straight decisions and his first career loss. He was one of the bright spots throughout his time on Road to UFC.
Even after his UFC debut was spoiled, Austin Bashi is still getting love as one of the best prospects in all of MMA. (Thanks to John Yannis for entering on short notice.)
Rodolfo Vieira. What a saga it's been for him. ... This is UFC Vegas 108. If something happens to UFC 319's main event, there will be hell to pay.
Quick picks:
Rinya Nakamura (-475) def. Nathan Fletcher (+310)
Rodolfo Vieira (-220) def. Tresean Gore (+180)
Andrey Pulyaev (-160) def. Nick Klein (+135)
Austin Bashi (-700) def. John Yannis (+500)
Rafael Esetevam (-550) def. Felipe Bunes (+400)
Ketlen Souza (+185) def. Piera Rodriguez (-225)
Category: General Sports
