[autotag]Jun Yong Park[/autotag] and [autotag]Brad Tavares[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 244 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 preview
Park (17-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) will enter the octagon for the first time in 2024. He will seek to rebound from a heartbreaking split decision loss to Andre Muniz in December, which snapped a four-fight winning streak that included three rear-naked choke submission victories. … Tavares (20-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) will also look to bounce back from a loss in his previous fight. In February, Gregory Rodrigues stopped Tavares in the third round. Before the setback, Tavares won a unanimous decision over former UFC champ Chris Weidman.
Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 expert pick, prediction
The co-main event in the Apex features a re-booked attraction at 185 pounds between Park and Tavares.
Despite my usual stated bias toward Tavares and his camp, this is a fight between two fighters I thoroughly enjoy watching.
It’s hard not to be a fan of Park, and I can see why “The Iron Turtle” is favored to win on the betting lines. That said, I suspect that Tavares quietly presents a tough stylistic test for the Korean.
Not only will Park have the arguable crux of his game stymied by his Hawaiian counterpart’s stellar takedown defense, but Tavares will also be one of the few fighters who can jab with him (something that has troubled Park the few times he’s encountered it in his UFC career).
Add in the calf kicks that I see being ponent on Park’s stance, and I can’t help but side with Tavares to edge out a competitive decision on the scorecards.
Either way, I hope that Tavares finally starts to get more respect than he does for a fighter who has been able to stay afloat for so long in this organization.
Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 odds
The oddsmakers and public favor the Korean fighter, listing Park -188 and Tavares +152 via FanDuel.
Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 start time, how to watch
Park and Tavares are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:05 p.m. ET (6:05 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.