UFC Vegas 108 Predictions:

UFC Las Vegas 108 takes place from the APEX facility, where a smaller 25-foot octagon will be in use. Few fans can attend these events now, but soon enough, APEX will be completed with a facility expansion, which will allow more fans to take in these quaint, boutique fight slates. 

The main event of this card had not one but two cancellations for the originally scheduled flyweight fighter Tatsura Taira, who now fights a short-notice replacement from South Korea in undefeated HyunSung Park. 

Park travels around the globe on short notice to take a fight against Taira. For Taira, this is also unsettling because he now prepares to fight a third athlete whom he has only days to prepare for. 

The short-notice aspect of this fight is fascinating, as Park must mentally prepare to travel across the globe, then make the 126-pound weight limit, while Taira, the beneficiary of a full camp, must prepare stylistically for his third opponent. 

I often mention here what a fantastic job the UFC does in keeping these 43 to 45 fight cards together each year, as athletes get injured, have visa issues, fall ill, and occasionally sidestep opponents. Dealing with the issues, the personalities, and the egos of these fighters day in and day out to keep these fight cards interesting for fans should not be underestimated. 

Last week, we took advantage of a rare two-unit victory with a value-laden Russian grappler in Asu Almabayev, who dominated pace in his fight against the up-and-coming Peruvian Jose Ochoa. Almabayev opened -400, and we were able to bet him -110, which is why we upped the investment to two units.

We add two units to this year’s accounting for a 2025 tally of 15-17 -1.32u

Tatsuro Taira -300 vs. HyunSung Park +260 

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Flyweight (125 pounds) main event

As mentioned in the opening, Taira takes on Park in a short-notice bout for each fighter. That said, it is Taira who is the beneficiary of a full training camp. 

Taira enters off a loss to Brandon Royval, in which he picked up a tremendous amount of experience, albeit in a loss, but to a legitimate title contender in the division. At 16-1, Taira enters this fight on the bounce and is prepared to make amends for his last setback. 

Taira is a world-class grappler and submission specialist, but he is also a capable striker. His sixteen wins include seven via submission, five via KO/TKO, and four via decision. 

That fight against Royval, in my judgment, makes Taira a forceful figure in the division now based on his fight weaponry, his growing experience, his youthfulness, and his drive.

For the 10-0 South Korean Park, this is a tremendous opportunity to endear himself to the UFC by first, trying to win a battle against a ranked opponent, but secon,d and as importantly, to do the UFC a favor by taking a fight across the globe against a highly talented and ranked adversary on short notice. 

(As a side note, for the UFC to have to settle on the South Korean Park for a fight in Las Vegas, we must understand that there had to be a bevy of local US fighters who said no to taking on Taira in this spot for the UFC.)

Park enters this fight 3-0 in UFC competition, but this fight signifies a substantial step up in class because Park has not competed against any gifted, let alone world-class mixed martial artists, before this battle. 

These fighters are similar in size, but Taira will have height, reach and experience advantages that substantiate his favorite price as I handicap this bout.

Total in this fight: 3.5 Rds Under -130

Mateusz Rebecki -205 vs. Chris Duncan +180 

Lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event

Fight enthusiasts should not miss this barnburner!

Polish wrestling talent Rebecki is short, squat, powerful, determined, and on the ascent in the division after answering a loss to Diego Ferriera with a most impressive victory over Myktybek Orolbai. 

Rebecki, who uses his sawed-off physique as a weapon, possesses a positive strike differential to couple with his unrelenting takedown success. He averages almost four takedowns per round. He also fends off 75% of incoming takedowns, which is impressive, especially after that bout against Orolbai, a most formidable wrestling talent.

For the Scotsman Duncan, he boasts close to the same staggering success in both significant strike differential as well as takedowns executed per five rounds. However, what Duncan has struggled with and something that may well be foundational in this fight is his ability to stop takedowns. His success rate is a paltry 37%, which is a glaring statistic for anyone confronting Rebecki. 

Duncan should be able to keep this fight standing. He will hold height and reach advantages, and I will even give him the striking edge. He must keep this scrap standing because if the unrelenting Rebecki can haul Duncan to the mat, Polish wrestling dominance will be displayed. 

Rebecki opened -221 for this matchup, and his price has dipped just a bit. Duncan’s takedown defense will determine this fight. If he can keep this on the feet, he has advantage, but should this fight hit the floor, look for Rebecki to flog the Scot. 

Total in this fight: 1.5 Rds Over -160

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos -210 vs. Neil Magny +180 

Welterweight (170 pounds)

Brazilian Capoeira fighting specialist dos Santos utilizes his stout, compact frame to hurl flamboyant, creative, and yet devastating spinning heels, elbows and knees towards opponents, understanding that when one lands, it destroys.

The issue for the well-versed dos Santos is that he is now 38. He is 1-2 in his last couple of UFC competitions.

Dos Santos still sports a positive strike differential per five minutes of fight time. When dos Santos lands any shot, the target opponent often crumbles because he invests tremendous energy into every single one of his strike offerings.

Dos Santos can grapple, and his takedown defense is formidable. He is most dangerous and at his best when competing in a stand-up battle.

For Neil Magny, this is a foundational fight. Magny arrives to this war having lost three of his last four, which on paper should be a red flag. However, we must understand who Magny has faced in these last four bouts!

Sure, Magny has lost to Mike Morales, Carlos Prates, and Ian Machado Garry, with a win against ascending welterweight Mike Malott, but those three losses were to elite killers in the division. 

So Magny enters desperate and used to facing absolute killers, while dos Santos arrives after having been bullied by nominally talented striker, Chidi Njokuani. 

Based on Magny’s physical advantages of age, height, reach and level of competition faced, I must regard him as being more positioned to compete effectively against dos Santos than the current betting line indicates.

In a fight lined 2.5 Rds. Over -185, I really favor Magny’s changes here to compete effectively wherever this fight takes place, on the mat, against the fence or standing.

UFC Las Vegas 108 Best Bet: Neil Magny +180

The ‘Bout Business Podcast drops on Friday morning at GambLou.com. All my final releases for this card may be accessed there. Thank you for reading, and enjoy the fights!

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