UFC Fight Night 244 predictions: Is unbeaten Tatsuro Taira one of our unanimous picks?

(This story was updated to add new information, and because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

The UFC is back on its home turf this week with a pair of flyweight contenders at the top of the lineup in “Sin City.”

UFC Fight Night 244 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Get main card pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Alex Morono vs. Daniel Rodriguez

Records: Morono (24-10 MMA, 13-7 UFC), Rodriguez (17-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Past five: Morono 2-3, Rodriguez 2-3
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.11.24): Morono +180, Rodriguez -220
Junkie pick results: Rodriguez 6, Morono 5

Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia

Records: Dawson (12-2-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC), Garcia (16-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC)
Past five: Dawson 4-1, Garcia 4-1
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: Dawson No. 8
Odds (as of 10.11.24): Dawson -425, Garcia +330
Junkie pick results: Dawson 11, Garcia 0

Jared Gooden vs. Chidi Njokuani

Records: Gooden (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC), Njokuani (23-10 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Past five: Gooden 3-2, Njokuani 2-3
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.11.24): Gooden +140, Njokuani -170
Junkie pick results: Njokuani 10, Gooden 1

JunYong Park vs. Brad Tavares

Records: Park (17-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC), Tavares (20-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC)
Past five: Park 4-1, Tavares 2-3
Division: Middleweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 10.11.24): Park -200, Tavares +165
Junkie pick results: Park 6, Tavares 5

Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira

Records: Royval (16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC), Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
Past five: Royval 4-1, Taira 5-0
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Royval No. 3, Taira No. 6
Odds (as of 10.11.24): Royval +240, Taira -300
Junkie pick results: Taira 10, Royval 1

Preliminary card picks

Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

• Ramazonbek Temirov vs. CJ Vergara: Temirov 10, Vergara 1
• Jonathan Pearce vs. Pat Sabatini: Sabatini 9, Pearce 2
• Themba Gorimbo vs. Niko Price: Gorimbo 11, Price 0
• Sean Sharaf vs. Junior Tafa: Tafa 11, Sharaf 0
• Cory McKenna vs. Julia Polastri: McKenna 9, Polastri 2
• Dan Argueta vs. Cody Haddon: Haddon 10, Argueta
• Clayton Carpenter vs. Lucas Rocha: Carpenter 6, Rocha 5

Check out all the main card picks below.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

	Royval vs. Taira	Park vs. Tavares	Gooden vs. Njokuani	Dawson vs. Garcia	Morono vs. Rodriguez
Ken Hathaway @1khathaway 170-87 2017, 2022 Champion	Taira	Park	Njokuani	Dawson	Morono
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 163-94 2014 Champion	Taira	Tavares	Njokuani	Dawson	Rodriguez
Matt Erickson @MattE 158-99	Taira	Park	Njokuani	Dawson	Morono
Simon Samano @SJSamano 155-102	Taira	Tavares	Njokuani	Dawson	Morono
Brian Garcia @thegoze 153-104 2017 Champion	Taira	Tavares	Njokuani	Dawson	Rodriguez
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 139-118	Royval	Tavares	Njokuani	Dawson	Rodriguez

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.