UFC on ESPN: Taira vs. Park
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | August 2, 2025 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
UFC on ESPN: Taira vs. Park—also referred to as UFC on ESPN 71 and UFC Vegas 108'—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 2, 2025, at the UFC Apex located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
Initially, the main event featured a flyweight clash between Amir Albazi and Tatsuro Taira. However, Albazi pulled out due to injury just one week before the event and was substituted by Road to UFC Season 1 flyweight victor Park Hyun-sung, who had originally been matched against former UFC Flyweight Championship contender Steve Erceg for the subsequent week.
A flyweight contest was scheduled between former LFA Flyweight Champion Felipe Bunes and André Lima, but Lima's injury led to Rafael Estevam stepping in as his replacement.
The middleweight showdown between Torrez Finney and ex-LFA Middleweight Champion Azamat Bekoev was planned; however, Finney’s injury withdrawal resulted in newcomer Yousri Belgaroui being brought in. This bout was ultimately rescheduled for October 18 at UFC Fight Night 262 due to visa complications.
Welterweights Neil Magny and Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos faced off at this event. Their fight had been proposed back in 2019 but never came to fruition until now.
A featherweight match between Austin Bashi and Francis Marshall was arranged, yet after Marshall’s injury withdrawal, promotional debutant John Yannis took his place.
A lightweight fight involving Grant Dawson and Joel Álvarez was reportedly considered but was never officially confirmed.
During the weigh-ins, two competitors failed to make weight: Tresean Gore weighed in at 189.5 pounds, exceeding the middleweight limit by 3.5 pounds, while Rafael Estevam came in at 130 pounds, 4 pounds above the flyweight threshold. Both fights proceeded at catchweight, with Gore and Estevam each forfeiting 25% of their fight purses to their opponents, Rodolfo Vieira and Felipe Bunes respectively.
Bonus awards
The following athletes earned $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: Chris Duncan vs. Mateusz Rębecki and Esteban Ribovics vs. Elves Brener
- Performance of the Night: No bonuses were distributed.