After a week off, the UFC is back on its home turf this week with a pair of ranked flyweights at the top of the lineup.
Here’s how to watch UFC Fight Night 244 with 125-pounders in the headlining spot, plus middleweights in the co-feature.
Broadcast and streaming info
UFC Fight Night 244 has a main card that starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The preliminary card streams on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET.
Stay tuned to MMA Junkie for further broadcast details this week.
Main event: Brandon Royval
Record: 16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC
Opponent: Tatsuro Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Key wins: Brandon Moreno, Matheus Nicolau, Matt Schnell, Kai Kara-France
Misc.: After a loss to Alexandre Pantoja in 2021, Royval ratted off three straight wins and got another crack at him, but while he was champion. Pantoja outworked him for a decision at UFC 296, but Royval bounced back in February with a win over ex-champ Brandon Moreno.
Main event: Tatsuro Taira
Record: 16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC
Opponent: Brandon Royval (16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Key wins: Alex Perez, Carlos Hernandez, Jesus Aguilar
Misc.: One of the division’s most well-rounded standouts, Taira returns on the heels of a second-round finish of Perez in June to stay unbeaten. This will be his sixth fight in two years, so he’s been consistent. Given Royval has challenged for the belt, a win for Taira likely would make him next in line.
UFC debut: Ramazonbek Temirov
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAsBe8Tpx9f/?hl=en
Record: 17-2
Opponent: CJ Vergara (12-5-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Misc.: 27-year-old prospect from Uzbekistan picked up a pair of wins under the Rizin banner in 2023. He has 10 of his 17 wins by knockout.
UFC debut: Cody Haddon
Record: 7-1
Opponent: Dan Argueta (9-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Misc.: 26-year-old Australian submitted Billy Brand on DWCS in August to get a UFC contract. All seven of his career wins are by stoppage – the most recent two by rear-naked choke after five straight knockouts to open his career.
UFC debut: Lucas Rocha
Record: 17-1
Opponent: Clayton Carpenter (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Misc.: After a knockout win on DWCS in October 2023, the Brazilian has been on hold for his UFC debut. Jose Johnson pulled out of a booked April fight against him, and then Rocha had to withdraw from his fight against replacement Joshua Van. Now a year later, he finally gets his official shot.
UFC Fight Night 244 main card betting odds
MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
- Brandon Royval (+175) vs. Tatsuro Taira (-210)
- JunYong Park (-175) vs. Brad Tavares (+145)
- Grant Dawson (-400) vs. Rafa Garcia (+300)
- Cory McKenna (+125) vs. Julia Polastri (-150)
- Alex Morono (+170) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (-200)
- Abdul Razak Alhassan (-155) vs. Josh Fremd (+130)
UFC Fight Night 244 prelim betting odds
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
- Jared Gooden (+155) vs. Chidi Njokuani (-185)
- Ramazonbek Temirov (-265) vs. CJ Vergara (+215)
- Jonathan Pearce (-130) vs. Pat Sabatini (+110)
- Themba Gorimbo (-280) vs. Niko Price (+230)
- Chris Barnett (+300) vs. Junior Tafa (-400)
- Dan Argueta (+155) vs. Cody Haddon (-185)
- Clayton Carpenter (-180) vs. Lucas Rocha (+150)