UFC on ESPN 71 Breakdown: Full Fight Card, Start Times, and Rising Prospect Alert

Las Vegas plays host once again as UFC on ESPN 71 brings the action back to the fight capital of the world. This Saturday’s event features a flyweight showdown in the headlining spot between two rising stars—Tatsuro Taira and HyunSung Park—after a last-minute card shakeup due to Amir Albazi’s withdrawal.

📺 How to Watch

• Date: August 2, 2025
• Main Card: 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Prelims: 6 p.m. ET on ESPN and streaming on ESPN+

Karyn Bryant returns as desk anchor alongside MMA notables Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Michael Chiesa, and Rashad Evans. Play-by-play comes from Brendan Fitzgerald, flanked by Michael Bisping and Dominick Cruz on color commentary. McKenzie Pavacich will deliver interviews and behind-the-scenes updates throughout the night.

🥊 Main Event: Tatsuro Taira (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) vs. HyunSung Park (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC)

Taira, once unbeaten, suffered his first career loss in a razor-close decision to Brandon Royval last October. Originally set to face Amir Albazi, Taira now welcomes undefeated South Korean prospect HyunSung Park to the spotlight. Park, known for his tenacity and rapid rise, was initially scheduled to meet Steve Erceg next week before this upgrade to main event status.

🔥 Expect fireworks as both men look to prove they belong in the title conversation.

🥊 Co-Main Event: Chris Duncan (13-2) vs. Mateusz Rebecki (20-2)

Duncan, with two straight guillotine finishes, is riding momentum despite an earlier setback to Manuel Torres. On the other side, Rebecki rebounded from a knockout loss in May 2024 with a split-decision win and is out to reassert his dominance in the lightweight ranks.

👊 Notable Debut: John Yannis

Replacing Francis Marshall on short notice, John Yannis (9-3) makes his UFC debut against Austin Bashi (13-1). Yannis enters with knockout power and confidence after his highlight win over Nick Aguirre for the Fury FC featherweight title. All eyes will be on how he handles the UFC spotlight.

📋 Full UFC on ESPN 71 Fight Card

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+)

• Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park
• Chris Duncan vs. Mateusz Rebecki
• Elves Brener vs. Esteban Ribovics
• Nora Cornolle vs. Karol Rosa
• Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
• Danny Silva vs. Kevin Vallejos

PRELIMS (6 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+)

• Nathan Fletcher vs. Rinya Nakamura
• Tresean Gore vs. Rodolfo Vieira
• Nick Klein vs. Andrey Pulyaev
• Felipe Bunes vs. Rafael Estevam
• Piera Rodriguez vs. Ketlen Souza
• Austin Bashi vs. John Yannis

🎤 MainEvent.News | Backstage Take

“This card is a prime example of how fast the UFC adapts. With Albazi out, Taira vs. Park becomes a dark horse classic in the making. The bigger takeaway? These short-notice cards often produce the wildest results—and when you throw them under the bright lights of Vegas, chaos becomes the main attraction.”

Rewatch the full fight between Hyun Sung Park vs Carlos Hernandez: