*This content was translated by AI.
Will the final piece of the puzzle be completed to rewrite the history of Japanese combat sports? Number 3 ranked Taiya Tatsuro (26, Japan) steps into the octagon looking to become the first Japanese UFC champion.
According to the UFC, Taiya and flyweight (56.7kg) champion Joshua Van (24, USA) registered 56.7kg at the weigh-in event held on the 8th (Korean time) in Newark, New Jersey, USA, completing their preparations for the title fight. The two fighters will meet for the title in the co-main event of ‘UFC 328’ at the Prudential Center on the 10th.
This matchup marks the first title fight in UFC history between male fighters of Asian descent. The fight between Taiya, born in Okinawa, and Van, born in Myanmar and later immigrated to the United States, is a high-stakes contest that represents a generational shift in Asian combat sports and national pride.
Most importantly, this is Taiya’s golden opportunity to break the chain of Japanese fighters who have never held a UFC title. After completing the weigh-in, Taiya declared, “I’m ready. I’m here to prove that I’m the best” and added with great determination, “I will bring the championship belt back to Japan.”
Taiya is already a prominent figure driving generational change in the flyweight division. In December of last year, he shocked the world by handing former champion Brandon Moreno his first loss via technical knockout and has since firmly established himself as a rising star in the division alongside young contenders like Ronnie Cavanna. Especially while Moreno has recently fallen into a slump after losing to Cavanna, Taiya has shown even stronger skills to secure his title shot.
Taiya’s greatest weapon as a challenger is his sophisticated grappling and calm handling of the fight. However, champion Joshua Van’s momentum is no less formidable. Van declared, “I can’t wait. Tomorrow is kill or be killed,” promising a gripping finale without recourse to the judges’ decision.
Meanwhile, in the main event of this tournament, middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev and challenger Sean Strickland will meet in their first title defense. During the weigh-in, Chimaev kicked Strickland in the groin, among other heated exchanges, raising tensions and generating excitement for the fight before it even began.
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*This content was translated by AI.
