UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van aims to prove his legitimacy in his first title defense against Tatsuro Taira, marking the youngest championship matchup in the promotion's history.
Salkilld enters rankings with BIG KO | 00:38 Joshua Van predicted he would rise to the top of the flyweight division years ago – and now he believes he’s on track to prove it all over againThe champion famously forecast he would be holding UFC gold by 2026 long before he ever came within cooee of a title shot.
A call he has already delivered on. UFC 328: Chimaev v Strickland | SUN 10 MAY 11AM AEST | UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev will return to the Octagon for the first defence of his title. Now, heading into his first title defence this weekend against Tatsuro Taira, Van says the story isn’t over.
“When I first started talking about getting into fighting, my auntie would talk about how to act when I become a world champion. So it’s kind of like us seeing the future.
“I just could see the matches going a certain way and that I’d be a champion by 2026. Van claimed the title from long-reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323 in controversial circumstances. Just 26 seconds into the fight, Pantoja injured his arm while bracing for a fall, forcing an abrupt stoppage and handing Van the championship in a finish that stunned the arena.
Taira has since suggested Van didn’t truly “win” the belt, arguing this weekend’s fight will determine the real champion.
“I mean, he has got something to prove, because he wouldn’t take my belt. “I’m just gonna do me. I’m just gonna be the same Joshua van – fighting for his family, his country. ” At 24, Van became the second-youngest UFC champion in history behind Jon Jones when he captured the belt.
His showdown with the 26-year-old Taira will also be historic - the first UFC title fight between fighters born in the 2000s, and the youngest championship matchup the promotion has ever staged.
“The moment you stop learning, that’s when I think you should retire. We have to learn. This game is always evolving. ” Taira is one of the best finishers in the sport, coming off a big win over Brandon Moreno, where he stopped the former champ with strikes.
However, he is known more for his submission game and many think that’s where he may have the edge this weekend.
“I mean, he’s showing he’s got a little bit of striking. “His game plan will be taking me down, for sure, but I think he will definitely try and stand and bang with me. ”“No, I see myself finishing him inside three rounds,” he said.
UFC Joshua Van Tatsuro Taira MMA Flyweight Championship
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