UFC Fight Night 244: Royval vs. Taira | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy

Ariel Helwhiney
May 22
3 min read

Introduction

UFC Fight Night 244: Royval vs. Taira took place on October 12, 2024 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 98. The flyweight main event was a pivotal title-eliminator between No. 1-ranked Brandon Royval, fresh off his revenge win over Brandon Moreno at UFC Mexico City, and undefeated No. 5-ranked Tatsuro Taira, who entered with a perfect 16-0 record.

The main event delivered one of the best flyweight fights of 2024. Royval’s striking advantage clashed with Taira’s relentless grappling across five back-and-forth rounds. In the end, Royval earned a split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47), handing Taira the first loss of his professional career. Post-event facts confirmed Royval tied the flyweight Fight of the Night record.

Quick Stats

📅 Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024

📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 98)

✅ Result: Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira via Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) (Round 5, 5:00)

Main Event: Royval vs. Taira

The fight was a fascinating clash of styles. Royval dominated on the feet, landing 124 significant strikes to Taira’s 42, while Taira controlled the grappling exchanges with six takedowns and over 12 minutes of control time. Each fighter secured dominant rounds, making for a genuine toss-up heading into the championship rounds.

Taira controlled the fourth round but Royval mounted a dramatic comeback in the fifth, using his striking to edge the final frame. The split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) gave Royval his second consecutive win and handed the Japanese prodigy his first professional defeat. Both fighters embraced after the final bell in a show of mutual respect.

Co-Main & Undercard Highlights

JunYong Park upset Brad Tavares by split decision in the co-main event. Grant Dawson stopped Rafa Garcia via TKO at 1:42 of round two. Ramazan Temirov made a powerful UFC debut, overwhelming C.J. Vergara with devastating body shots (PoN). Clayton Carpenter earned a PoN with a second-round technical submission of Lucas Rocha. Daniel Rodriguez edged Alex Morono by split decision.

Full Results

Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira — Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) R5 | FotN | Hands Taira first loss

JunYong Park def. Brad Tavares — SD R3; Grant Dawson def. Rafa Garcia — TKO R2, 1:42; Chidi Njokuani def. Jared Gooden — UD R3; Daniel Rodriguez def. Alex Morono — SD R3; Ramazan Temirov — body shot KO debut (PoN); Clayton Carpenter — Technical Sub R2 (PoN)

Bonuses & Awards

🥊 Fight of the Night: Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira ($50,000 each) — Royval ties FLW FotN record

🏆 Performance of the Night: Ramazan Temirov ($50k) — Body shot KO debut | Clayton Carpenter ($50k) — Technical Sub R2

Legacy & Impact

FN 244 produced one of the best flyweight fights of 2024. Royval’s split decision over the previously undefeated Taira solidified his position as the top contender at 125 pounds and set up a potential second title shot against champion Alexandre Pantoja. For Taira, his first loss at just 24 was a learning experience rather than a career setback — his ground game and composure showed he remains one of the most dangerous flyweights in the world. Ramazan Temirov’s devastating debut was a statement arrival.