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

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