Brandon Royval handed Tatsuro Taira the first loss of his career via split decision in a hard-fought five-round battle at UFC Fight Night 244.
Round One:
The flyweight main event is underway in Las Vegas.
Missed high kick from Royval to start. Again he misses with that technique. Inside low kick from Taira.
Body kick from Royval, but Taira catches it and tries for a takedown. He moves over to the cage with this, but Royval gets free.
Royval comes forward and eats a punch for his troubles. Kick off the guard from Royval. He comes up just short with a front kick upstairs.
Taira continuing to move just out of range of kick attempts. A punch does get through for Royval though.
Body kick from Royval. He lands it again. Now an elbow as Taira was stepping forward. One-two for Royval.
Straight left for Royval and Taira is still trying to find his way into the fight. Body kick for Royval.
Punch from Taira and Royval stumbles for a moment. Taira capitalizes with a few punches. Taira clinches up now and then works a takedown.
Tavares trying or a potential leg lock. Taira looking to scramble out, but Royval is being persistent with the submission attempt. Taira does get free now as then clinches back up with Royval against the cage.
Round Two:
Body kick for Royval. Punch from Taira. Front kick to the body for Royval. Solid right hand for Taira. Royval tries for a knee, but Taira works a double-leg takedown.
Royval back up but Taira is up to his back and works another nice takedown. Taira has the back and the body triangle closed up here. Now he tries to go to mount, but then to the back again and trying to flatten his opponent out. Royval avoids that and moves over to the cage. Taira still securely on his back though for now.
Royval scrambling and Taira loses a hook, but adjusts nicely to stay in this dominant position. 90 seconds of the round remaining.
Taira transitions into mount, but Royval is quickly scrambling and gets to his knees. Taira latches onto his back again though before he can stand.
Taira rolls on top in half-guard. Royval threatening with a leg lock and Taira breaks free of that, enabling Royval to stand, but with not enough time to get his striking going.
Round Three:
Nice right hand from Taira. Now a jab. Hard body shot gets through now. Straight left for Royval. Glancing hook from Taira and then darts into a takedown, eating a knee from Royval in the process though.
Royval able to defend against the cage and stays upright, then breaks back to striking range.
Straight left for Royval. He misses with an uppercut. A right hand gets through and now a left. One-two for him. Uppercut for Royval. Now the left connects cleanly.
Taira counters with a takedown and gets Royval down for a split second. Back up they go and now it’s Royval who lands a takedown. Taira gets up again. He looks tired and Royval is pressing forward looking to strike.
Taira throws a punch but falls to the mat. All a bit wild at the moment. They go to the mat and Royval is going for an armbar. Taira able to get out of it and soon after is able to scramble to take Royval’s back and get his body triangle in again.
Taira goes for a rear-naked choke. He can’t quite get it sunk in properly until the final few seconds of the round.
Round Four:
Inside low kick for Taira. He lands a right hand. Straight punches from Royval. Taira in on a takedown attempt. Royval stays on his feet, but Taira moves to his back as he tries to drag him to the mat.
Taira able to get the takedown and has the body triangle in again. He thinks about moving to mount, but decides against it. Royval goes to his knees. Taira rolls to is back again with the body triangle still in.
Taira hunting for the rear-naked choke, but Royval is defending for now. Royval scrambling but can’t shake off Taira’s talented grappling game.
Royval flattened out now belly-down. A few punches land and then goes to his back again. Royval working hard to prevent Taira getting the opportunity to sink in a rear-naked choke. Royval trying to scramble again late in the round, but Taira stays on top.
Round Five:
Royval fires off a few punches without connecting. Punch from Taira. Kick lands for him now. Jab for Taira. Taira misses with a left hand and Royval catches him on the counter.
Straight left for Royval but now one from Taira. Grazing punch from Taira and then gets in on takedown, landing it.
Taira goes north-south. Royval puts his feet on the cage as he tries to transtion, but is unable to. Royval still working though and manages to get on top. Taira stands and is brought back down. Taira stands as Royval just fails to hop on his back and get the body triangle in.
Taira moves to striking range. Royval lands a few strikes. Right hand for Taira. Both land a left hand at the same time.
Right hook for Royval as Taira drives in for a takedown against the cage. Royval gets away. Left hand for him, but then a right straight from Taira. Jab for Royval. He misses a spinning backfist and falls for a moment as Taira lands a kick.
Royval straight back up. Royval drops with a guillotine choke attempt. Now he’s rolling on top. Royal gets to the back, works for a rear-naked choke while getting his body triangle in. Taira hangs tough and escapes that, but Royval still in control and is working for a possible armbar as the round ends.
Decision:
A very competitive fight then, with Royval clearly having a striking advantage, which was then countered by Taira’s skilled grappling control as the fight ebbed and flowed through the rounds. That left all to fight for in the final round, and it was Royval’s ability to turn the tables in the dying stages of that five minute spell with some good grappling of his own that may have helped ensure that it’s he who emerges with a split decision victory (48-47 x2, 47-48).
