Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira showed the MMA world how it’s done.
In one of the best fights of 2024, the flyweight contenders showed off every aspect of their games with back-and-forth striking exchanges and thrilling scrambles on the ground, with Royval eventually leaving the UFC Vegas 98 main event with a split decision win.
Royval entered the bout ranked as the UFC’s No. 1 contender at 125 pounds and Taira brought a shiny 16-0 record into the cage, so a competitive contest was expected, but both men surpassed expectations. In his post-fight interview, Royval praised Taira as a future champion, while stating his own case to be booked for another important fight soon.
Some of MMA’s best and brightest were locked in Saturday’s headliner and they showered praise upon Royval and Taira, who should be a lock for a Fight of the Night bonus.
Check out the best reactions from social media below.
