Joshua Van was initially slated to make his first title defense at UFC 327. However, the flyweight champion had to withdraw due to an injury. The title bout was subsequently rescheduled, and this weekend, Van is set to face Tatsuro Taira in the co-main event of UFC 328.
During fight week, in an interview with Full Send MMA, Van disclosed that he was willing to fight Taira the previous month despite a minor injury. Nevertheless, his team prioritized his full recovery and readiness before he entered the octagon, leading to the postponement of the fight. He stated:
“It was a minor injury, I would’ve taken the fight. The coaches saw something in training and called it off, they told me to rest and be 100% when you fight.”
Tatsuro Taira is Ready to Prove Who is the REAL CHAMP at UFC 328
Joshua Van captured the flyweight belt at UFC 323 in a mere 26 seconds after Alexandre Pantoja’s arm was dislocated during an exchange. Due to the controversial conclusion, some fans have deemed Van’s victory as fortunate and have called for an immediate title rematch for Pantoja.
“The Cannibal” is now aiming for a return in mid-2026 and is expected to face the winner of the Van vs. Taira title bout.
Even Taira believes Van won the title prematurely last year. Acknowledging the unfortunate turn of events for Pantoja, Taira feels that this weekend, when the octagon doors close, it will be the moment to definitively prove who the true UFC flyweight champion is.
“I think [Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja ended] too early. We have to prove who the real champion is in this fight [UFC 328].”
