This weekend, UFC Fight Night 244 brings a long-awaited clash between Brad Tavares and Park Jun-yong. Taking place at the UFC Apex, the middleweight bout will be the co-main event on a card headlined by a flyweight fight between Brandon Royval and undefeated rising Japanese star Tatsuro Taira.

Tavares and Park were originally scheduled to step into the Octagon in July at UFC Vegas 94. However, the fight was postponed due to Park being diagnosed with a staph infection by a doctor at the weigh-ins. Now, the two middleweights are finally ready to throw down. Here’s a comparison of their stats, fighting styles, and more!

UFC Fight Night: Brad Tavares vs Park Jun-yong

Brad Tavares has been a part of the UFC since his 2010 appearance on the eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter, making him a seasoned veteran of the Octagon. His UFC record of 15-9 speaks volumes about his experience. In fact, he’s faced some of the most dangerous men at 185 lbs. including future and former champions! What are some of the names he’s stepped into the cage against? Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero, Dricus Du Plessis and Chris Weidman.

In his last fight against Gregory Rodrigues at UFC Vegas 86, Tavares suffered a heartbreaking third-round TKO stoppage. Now, he has the chance to get back into the win column. In an interview at UFC Fight Night 244 media day, the Hawaiian stated, “I think his (Park’s) biggest attribute is his toughness, just how tough he is. I’ve watched him in fights where you think, ‘OK, this this guy is done,’ and he pulls it out…”

With a nickname like The Iron Turtle, calling Park Jun-yong “tough” would be an understatement. The Korean middleweight made his UFC debut in 2019 but was submitted by Anthony Hernandez in the second round. However, that did not dampen his aspirations. Park rattled off three straight wins soon after and is currently 4-1 in his last five Octagon outings.

Park’s path to this fight against Tavares has been filled with determination. At UFC Fight Night 244 media day, ‘The Iron Turtle’ revealed, “When I got the contract and it said Brad Tavares again, it was just another day at the job. … Nothing really changed for the game plan. It’s the same opponent. I’m the same guy.”

With all that being said, how do their stats stack up when compared to one another?

Brad Tavares

Record: MMA (20 – 9- 0), UFC (15-9)

Age: 36

Height: 6’1

Reach: 74’

Team: Xtreme Couture

Fighting Style: Kickboxing heavy

Park Jun-yong

Record: MMA (17-6-0), UFC (7-3)

Age: 33

Height: 5’10

Reach: 73’

Team: Korean Top Team

Fighting Style: Well-rounded

A quick glance at the statistics shows that The Iron Turtle is the younger fighter coming into this matchup. However, Tavares holds a one-inch reach advantage. While the Hawaiian has the edge in terms of time spent inside the Octagon, his recent form—2-3 in his last five fights—raises concerns about his performance.

Even though Park did lose his last fight against Andre Muniz, he’d looked nigh unstoppable before that as he’d submitted all 3 opponents with a rear-naked choke. Remarkably, none of those fights went past the second round! So, now let’s take a look at a breakdown of this fight and make our predictions for this intriguing matchup.

Brad Tavares vs Park Jun-yong breakdown and prediction

According to Tapology, Brad Tavares boasts an 87% decision rate, with 13 of his UFC victories coming via the judges’ scorecards. In fact, he holds the record for the most decision wins in UFC middleweight division history. This means that Tavares has the capacity to go the distance against some of the toughest fighters in the weight class.

Even Yoel Romero, during his tear through the middleweight division, was only able to win a unanimous decision against Tavares, with the fight lasting all three rounds. However, in recent years, the wear and tear on Tavares’ chin has become evident, as he was knocked out by Bruno Silva and Gregory Rodrigues.

Meanwhile, Park Jun-yong is a submission machine, boasting a remarkable 43% submission rate, according to Tapology. Three of his past four wins have come via submission. Even in his loss to Andre Muniz, the split decision didn’t sit well with many MMA observers, as 10 out of 14 media outlets scored the fight in Park’s favor.

So, what can we expect when these two finally meet in the Octagon? If Park can get Tavares to the ground, he’ll have a clear advantage with his grappling. His past submission wins prove he’s lethal once he gains control. On the other hand, if Tavares can keep the fight standing, his striking skills could shine, especially in a back-and-forth brawl.

With that being said, the prediction for this fight leans toward Park Jun-yong securing another submission win. According to DraftKings odds (subject to change), Tavares is a +164 underdog, while The Iron Turtle comes in as a -198 favorite.

Who do you think will come out on top? Will Park’s resilience win the day, or will Tavares find his rhythm and get the job done? Both fighters have something to prove, and UFC Fight Night 244 promises to deliver fireworks in the co-main event!