Preview: UFC Fight Night 233 Prelims

Flyweights

Tatsuro Taira (14-0, 4-0 UFC) vs. Carlos Hernandez (9-2, 2-1 UFC)

ODDS: Taira (-410), Hernandez (+320)

Taira’s slow rise through the flyweight ranks chugs on, as he continues to establish himself as one of Japan’s top prospects and one of the best young talents at 125 pounds. There is plenty to like about the 23-year-old, who shows some sharp and accurate striking while also shining as a standout grappler. However, he does have some of the issues typical of most Japanese prospects. He can be overly patient in terms of picking his own spots, and while he is technically sound in multiple phases of the game, none of those skill sets seem particularly connected into a coherent approach. So while Taira has had some spectacular moments—particularly on the ground—there are also long stretches in his fights where he gets surprisingly little done, as in his July decision win over Edgar Chairez. That does not figure to be a problem until Taira moves up the ladder against better competition, but this pairing against Hernandez feels like a lateral move, albeit against a well-rounded opponent. Hernandez is a go-everywhere scrapper who has typically been a tough out, but he is not a particularly impactful fighter, often meeting his opponents on their own terms and scraping out some narrow wins at the UFC level. Hernandez can set a pace, which may cause Taira some issues, but this should eventually wind up in a grappling match where the Japanese standout can bank plenty of control, if not finish the fight outright. The pick is Taira via decision.

Jump To »
Park vs. Ross
Costa vs. Garcia
Santos vs. Egger
Taira vs. Hernandez
dos Santos vs. Alencar