Career Averages - Joshua Van
Career Averages - Tatsuro Taira
Joshua Van
Tatsuro Taira
Joshua Van - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 2 | 131 of 209 | 62% | 190 of 269 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 2 | 0 | 1:21 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 55 of 151 | 36% | 100 of 199 | 8 of 21 | 38% | 0 | 0 | 10:38 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 0 | 7 of 13 | 53% | 21 of 28 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 16 of 26 | 61% | 20 of 31 | 4 of 5 | 80% | 0 | 0 | 3:40 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 1 | 21 of 32 | 65% | 47 of 58 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:27 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 5 of 19 | 26% | 16 of 32 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 2:53 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 1 | 57 of 89 | 64% | 64 of 96 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 2 | 0 | 0:50 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 14 of 49 | 28% | 16 of 51 | 2 of 7 | 28% | 0 | 0 | 0:42 | |
| 4 | Joshua Van | 0 | 19 of 37 | 51% | 31 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 13 of 34 | 38% | 41 of 62 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 3:15 | |
| 5 | Joshua Van | 0 | 27 of 38 | 71% | 27 of 38 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 7 of 23 | 30% | 7 of 23 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 131 of 209 | 62% | 118 of 195 | 12 of 12 | 1 of 2 | 104 of 173 | 9 of 10 | 18 of 26 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 55 of 151 | 36% | 45 of 131 | 3 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 43 of 131 | 4 of 7 | 8 of 13 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 7 of 13 | 53% | 7 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 12 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 16 of 26 | 61% | 12 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 3 | 9 of 16 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 8 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 21 of 32 | 65% | 20 of 31 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 14 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 6 of 9 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 5 of 19 | 26% | 3 of 15 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 17 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 57 of 89 | 64% | 54 of 85 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 41 of 68 | 4 of 4 | 12 of 17 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 14 of 49 | 28% | 13 of 46 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 14 of 47 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | |
| 4 | Joshua Van | 19 of 37 | 51% | 19 of 37 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 18 of 36 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 13 of 34 | 38% | 10 of 29 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 10 of 30 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | |
| 5 | Joshua Van | 27 of 38 | 71% | 18 of 29 | 9 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 24 of 35 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 7 of 23 | 30% | 7 of 19 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 2 | 7 of 21 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-170), Van (+142)
Round 1
They say a champion is only truly a champion when they successfully defend their title. Van (16-2, 9-1 UFC) earned it in December by forcing Alexandre Pantoja to snap his arm during a post when Pantoja defended a takedown. His first test as a beltholder will be once-beaten Taira (18-1, 8-1 UFC), who may have the edge on the mat and is currently the betting favorite. Referee “Shaolin” Vitor Ribeiro will issue instructions, standing back as the flyweights touch ‘em up.
Taira gets right behind his jab, bouncing in and out to score a hard low kick. Taira sets up another low kick, and he shoots after it with a deep double-leg entry. These Japanese fighter peels Van away from the cage and wrenches him down with a body lock, landing in a dominant position he uses to climb into full mount. Fans start raining down boos as Taira resides on top, and Taira ignores them all to smother the champ. Van bucks to get some space, and he recovers back to half guard thanks to a butterfly hook he sneaks in. Van uses his legs to push Taira away, only for Taira to practically step over to side control like he was in a day-one BJJ course. Van muscles his way back to his feet, finding that Taira wraps up a guillotine choke on him to keep him down. Van shrugs it off to stand, and he walks the Japanese fighter down to punch him square in the face.
Both men land flush jabs on the other, and Taira gathers himself to connect with a heft y low kick. Van slowly, calmly works forward, snapping the head back with a jab. Taira races forward to complete a takedown, putting Van’s seat on the floor and back to the cage. Taira prefers at this point to maintain control rather than inflict damage, so Van is able to wall-walk back to his feet practically uncontested. Taira leans on Van and yanks him to the floor with a body lock, stepping into full mount in seconds. Van sits up, and Taira forces him back down and misses with an elbow. When Van stands, Taira lashes out with punches. Van strikes back from up close, and the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 2
The flyweights rush towards one another to start off the round, and when they reach striking range, they bounce backwards simultaneously. Van is the one who opts to push forward, and he fights off a faked takedown entry. Taira puts a one-two and a jab on the nose, offering a half-hearted shot and then a strong one after. Taira switches quickly from a double to a single, and they jostle one another around with Taira thumping his man in the sternum with a knee. Van stands up him with fast, powerful hands, and Taira’s face starts to glow red. Van chases after Taira, whose hands are down, and he rocks him with a right hand. Taira has to circle away to regain his composure, and he darts in to strike but Van is out of the way. Taira times an advancing Van to take him off his feet, and he climbs to mount practically the moment they hit the mat.
Van bucks and wriggles to break out of the mount position without absorbing any damage, but he remains stuck on his back as Taira smothers him and reapplies mount. Taira rides the champion like a bucking bronco, getting pulled back to half guard when Van keeps active off his back. Van hacks away from his back, and he appears to be the only one attacking with anything of note. Van sits up and finds himself in choke danger, shucking off the choke to explode back to his feet. Taira stands tall and is about to rush after a takedown, only for Van to knock him clean off his feet with a right hand. Taira hits the deck, and Van leaps down after him in hopes of finishing the job. He cannot, and Taira makes it to Round 3 and wobbles back to his corner.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 3
Brimming with confidence, Van stalks down the challenger and jabs his way in. Taira shoots for a desperate takedown, and Van shoves him to the floor and lets him stand back up so he can do work on the feet. Van no-sells a takedown shot and puts his fists in Taira’s face repeatedly. Taira gets his bell rung with a three-punch combo ending with an uppercut, and he throws back single strikes but is nowhere near as fast as his opponent. Taira’s takedown shot fails again, and Van rails him with an overhand right and a left to the liver. Taira circles out to reposition himself in the center of the cage, and his nose gets blooded up by the champ’s jab. Taira throws a calf kick and rushes for a takedown, but he sprints face-first into a flush but questionable knee that rocks him to his core. Taira’s nose bleeds from both nostrils, and he takes a quick count of his teeth and rebounds off the cage wall to swing back. Van beats him to the punch figuratively and literally with speedy combinations, an effective jab and a constant pace. The jabs of Van knock Taira to his seat, who looks around confused but is still in the fight.
Taira tries for a takedown to get his wits about him, so Van turns it against him and slings him to the floor like a side of beef. Van, rather than going after a ground-and-pound finish, slips around to take the back and hunt for a rear-naked choke. Van settles on a neck crank, and Taira steels himself to survive it. Van reapplies the crank, and once more, Taira toughs it out. Van’s third try slips his arm beneath the neck, and the rear-naked choke is tight and appears academic. The Japanese challenger somehow wills himself back into the fight, working out of the choke danger and twisting to work to his feet. Van has no issue with this, as he continues beating three shades of something into Taira’s face. Blood pours from several places around his visage, but he still wants the takedown. He shoots and completes the takedown, and on Van’s return to his feet, Taira hits a mat return. Van gets out of this as well, and Taira walks him down and busts him in the nose. The horn sounds, with Taira surviving after that onslaught.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 4
The championship rounds are here, and the flyweights are ready to fight again. Taira nails his opponent with a stern calf kick that draws a big reaction out of the champ, and he uses his momentum to rush forward and grip hold of a body lock to chuck Van to the mat. Van on his back uses his butterfly guard to keep Taira from moving to a dominant position. Van looks for a sweep, and Taira lowers himself flat to slip into full mount again. Taira pummels Van with his shoulder from above, and he stops Van from turning to the side by clubbing him with his free right hand. Van tries to buck and kick, but Taira transforms himself into a 125-pound lead weight.
Van sits up, and Taira throws his legs up to grip hold of a triangle armbar. Van wriggles free and stands back up, and he motions for Taira to follow him. Taira obliges him and gets behind his jab, but Van nails him in the nose a few times to force blood to flow some more. Taira slaps himself in the face a few times after absorbing damage like Curly from the “Three Stooges,” and Van stays right in front of him putting fist to face. Taira kicks low and high, reaching behind his long jab to chain them together. Taira runs face-first into the ground when going after a takedown, avoiding a knee that Van has ready for him by a margin of inches. Taira grinds on the champ until 10 seconds remain, with Van breaking off and jabbing into a right hand. The fourth round is now over.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 5
The fighters share a smile, having reached the last round. It is jab city when they resume fighting, with Van working his way in behind a right hand. Taira ducks strikes to shoot for a takedown, and he gets stood up when Van’s back hit the wall. Taira tries again, and Van pushes off and lets him have it. Both men trade heavy leather, with Taira ending a combination with another failed shot.
Van rips a few punches to the body, bending the challenger over to open up head shots. The champ stabs out with a front kick to the stomach and hurls a rapid barrage of punches at his adversary until Taira turns to his side and tries to circle out, stumbling all the while. This is apparently enough for Ribeiro to think he should step in. Riberio waves things off, and Taira instantly protests that it was premature.
His cries call on deaf ears, so he throws his mouthguard away in frustration. The result is what it is, as Van has successfully defended his flyweight strap with a fifth-round stoppage, while becoming the first fighter to finish Taira. In his victorious post-fight interview, Van tells former champ Pantoja to heal up so that they can run it back.
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Tatsuro Taira R5 1:32 via TKO (Front Kick to the Body and Punches)
Angelo picks Joshua Van, citing his incredible volume and takedown defense. He believes Van's striking will be too much for Taira, similar to how Royval beat Taira with volume. He notes that Van doesn't get frustrated when taken down and focuses on getting back up.
Angelo picks Joshua Van, emphasizing his striking pressure and volume. He notes Van lands a high number of strikes and has shown takedown defense against wrestlers. He thinks Taira's striking pressure is weak and Van will keep the fight standing. He expresses concern about a possible injury to Van that caused the fight to be moved, but assumes both are healthy. He compares Taira's loss to Brandon Royval as a blueprint for Van.
Big Brady picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his elite back-taking and grappling. He notes Van has been submitted before and Taira has power on the feet. Brady expects Taira to get the fight to the ground and secure a submission, specifically a second-round submission. He acknowledges Van's volume but thinks grappling will decide the fight.
Cody picks Taira, emphasizing his well-rounded skills and ability to take Van down and control him. He notes Taira's improved striking and grappling, and believes he can neutralize Van's volume by wrestling. Cody expects Taira to win by submission or decision, as Van's takedown defense is suspect.
Connor picks Van, emphasizing his faith in Van's game in Taira's area of expertise (striking) over Taira's game in Van's area. He notes Taira's lack of pocket feel, as seen against Moreno, and Van's ability to metabolize takedown threats. Connor believes Van's fight-building style will break Taira down, as Taira has no build-back plan.
Daniel picks Van, agreeing with Cody and Malcolm. He highlights Van's superior striking and ability to defend takedowns, though he notes Taira's back-taking ability and heart. Daniel is confident Van will make the fight his and Taira will have to absorb many strikes.
The host leans toward Taira but does not place a pre-fight bet. He notes Taira's superior grappling and back takes, but Van's dangerous boxing and potential cardio advantage. He prefers to live bet this fight to get more information on Van's takedown defense. He mentions Van +5.5 fight spread as interesting but holds off.
Predicted method: Submission Round 3. Taira's grappling-heavy style (3.12 takedowns per round, 1.6 submission average) poses a clear threat to Van, who has 81% takedown defense but has faced less relentless wrestlers. Van's striking volume (8.84 SLpM) is impressive, but Taira's 2.44 SApM indicates he absorbs few strikes, and his recent KO win over Brandon Moreno shows improved power. Taira's reach advantage (70" vs 65") helps him close distance for takedowns. Expect Taira to mix in takedowns, neutralize Van's striking, and secure a submission or dominant decision.
Jacob is confident in Joshua Van, praising his confidence and athleticism. He thinks Van's takedown defense and cardio will be key, and that Taira will struggle to get takedowns in later rounds. He believes Van will dominate once the takedowns stop working.
Lucrative James favors Tatsuro Taira because he believes the grappling gap is larger than the striking gap at flyweight, and submissions are more decisive than knockouts at this weight class. He notes Taira needs one moment to finish, while Van needs multiple moments. He also cites Van's high fight frequency (5 fights in 13 months) as a potential negative, and Van's chin issues. He predicts Taira by submission.
The host picks Van, believing his defensive grappling has improved enough to keep Taira from dominating. He expects Van to outstrike Taira, work the body, and win on the scorecards. He notes that Taira is dangerous early but Van's pace and striking will be too much in championship rounds.
Paul also picks Taira, citing his grappling advantage and experience in five-round fights. He thinks Taira's takedowns and control will be key, and that Van's slow starts and defensive holes will be exploited. Paul expects Taira to win by submission or decision.
The MMA Guru picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his superior grappling and reach advantage. He notes Taira's ability to secure dominant positions and improved ground and pound. He believes Van's takedown defense against lesser grapplers won't hold up against Taira's explosive entries. He predicts a finish in the second or third round.
Zane picks Van, noting his superior striking and ability to handle takedown threats. He points out that Van has good wrestling instincts and has faced grapplers like Durden and Suraya, defending well. Zane believes Van's fight-building style will break Taira down, as Taira struggles in the pocket and relies on range. He sees Taira's only chance as a submission, but Van's defensive wrestling makes that unlikely.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandre Pantoja | 0 | 6 of 11 | 54% | 6 of 11 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 0 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandre Pantoja | 0 | 6 of 11 | 54% | 6 of 11 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 0 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandre Pantoja | 6 of 11 | 54% | 4 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 5 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandre Pantoja | 6 of 11 | 54% | 4 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | 5 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Pantoja (-245), Van (+200)
Round 1
Herb Dean is the referee. Pantoja is aggressive early with leg kicks and combinations, taking the fight to the young challenger. However, what was shaping up to be an entertaining fight quickly takes an unfortunate turn. “The Cannibal” throws a high kick, which is caught by Van. Pantoja is shoved to the canvas by his opponent, and when he attempts to break his fall, his planted left arm appears to break or dislocate in gruesome fashion. Pantoja lays on the canvas, clutching his limb, and Dean has no choice but to wave off the bout. Van, who didn’t throw any ground-and-pound after the injury, celebrates the triumph — one in which the Miyanmar native becomes the first Asian-born male champion and the second-youngest title holder in UFC history. Van also takes a moment to console the dejected fallen champion. Pantoja then briefly consults with UFC CEO Dana White before being escorted from the Octagon, presumably to receive immediate medical care.
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Alexandre Pantoja via TKO (Arm Injury) R1 0:26
Angelo picks Alexandre Pantoja, calling him one of the best flyweights ever. He praises Pantoja's pressure, takedowns, and jiu-jitsu. While he acknowledges Joshua Van's impressive pocket striking and takedown defense, he believes Pantoja's experience and wrestling will be too much for Van at this stage. He thinks the odds are a discount on Pantoja.
Big Brady picks Alexandre Pantoja, citing his elite ground game and ability to take Van's back. He notes Van's grappling inexperience and mistakes, and expects Pantoja to submit Van with a rear-naked choke in the second round.
Cody picks Pantoja, noting his submission threat and takedown ability. He acknowledges Van's striking and pace but questions his takedown defense, as he has been taken down by lesser grapplers. He mentions that Pantoja took Van's back and submitted him, and he has a bet on Pantoja by submission at plus 200. He believes Pantoja's path to victory is via submission.
Connor picks Van, believing that Pantoja must get a finish or will be outworked. He notes that Van is a rare pocket fighter who stays dialed in and adjusts well late in fights. Connor points out that Pantoja tends to gas and, while he fights brilliantly tired, Van's defensive wrestling and striking are superior to other dangerous punchers Pantoja has faced. He thinks Van can replicate Steve Erceg's success but with better defense and aggression.
Daniel is torn on this fight, calling it a 'dog or pass' situation. He respects Pantoja's elite back-taking and championship pedigree but also acknowledges Van's volume, takedown defense, and youth. He sees paths to victory for both and plans to finalize his pick on fight week.
Lucrative James sees this as a striker vs grappler matchup. He believes Pantoja's relentless wrestling and superior jiu-jitsu will be the difference, especially given Joshua Van's relative inexperience in grappling (only 3 years of wrestling training). He worries about Van's overconfidence in his jiu-jitsu and thinks Pantoja can submit him or control him on the ground. He notes the line should be closer to -150 and mentions the under 4.5 rounds as a potential play.
The host acknowledges that many think it's too soon for Van, but believes Van will be prepared to defend submissions early and then put it on Pantoja in the championship rounds. He even suggests a TKO finish for Van to become the new champion.
Paul leans toward Van as a live underdog, citing his youth, striking volume, and cardio. He notes that Van outpaced Brandon Royval and has a path to victory if he keeps the fight standing. However, he is concerned about Van's takedown defense and Pantoja's back-taking ability. He admits he is flip-flopping but ultimately picks Van for the plus money.
The Guru picks Alexandre Pantoja to submit Joshua Van, despite Van's striking talent. He believes Pantoja's relentless grappling and takedowns will overwhelm Van, who is inexperienced in championship fights. The Guru predicts a first or second round rear-naked choke.
Zane also picks Van, agreeing that it's the right time for the prospect. He highlights Van's incredible year, including a win over Brandon Royval where Van out-struck him at range and adjusted in the pocket. Zane notes that Van's defensive wrestling and scrambling have been tested against good grapplers, and he doesn't accept bad positions. He acknowledges Pantoja's elite grappling and finishing ability but believes Van's striking and composure give him the edge.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Royval | 0 | 215 of 467 | 46% | 216 of 468 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 1 | 204 of 305 | 66% | 209 of 311 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 42 of 116 | 36% | 42 of 116 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 0 | 52 of 79 | 65% | 52 of 79 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 87 of 174 | 50% | 87 of 174 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 0 | 74 of 106 | 69% | 77 of 109 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 86 of 177 | 48% | 87 of 178 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 1 | 78 of 120 | 65% | 80 of 123 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Royval | 215 of 467 | 46% | 179 of 422 | 22 of 27 | 14 of 18 | 205 of 451 | 10 of 16 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 204 of 305 | 66% | 138 of 232 | 37 of 43 | 29 of 30 | 181 of 270 | 20 of 27 | 3 of 8 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Royval | 42 of 116 | 36% | 27 of 95 | 6 of 10 | 9 of 11 | 41 of 114 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 52 of 79 | 65% | 31 of 55 | 9 of 12 | 12 of 12 | 46 of 71 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brandon Royval | 87 of 174 | 50% | 77 of 163 | 7 of 7 | 3 of 4 | 81 of 165 | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 74 of 106 | 69% | 50 of 81 | 18 of 19 | 6 of 6 | 65 of 95 | 9 of 11 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Brandon Royval | 86 of 177 | 48% | 75 of 164 | 9 of 10 | 2 of 3 | 83 of 172 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 78 of 120 | 65% | 57 of 96 | 10 of 12 | 11 of 12 | 70 of 104 | 5 of 8 | 3 of 8 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-120), Royval (+100)
Round 1
In the “featured fight of the night,” flyweights roll the dice to see who may get the next crack at the champ. As it turns out, this de facto tournament will be resolved one bout later, when Alexandre Pantoja rematches Kai Kara-France for the throne. Having come up short in 2023, and already 0-2 against the champ Pantoja, Royval (17-7, 7-3 UFC) more than likely hopes there will be change in beltholder in about an hour. Looking to spoil the party of “Raw Dawg” will be the fast-rising 23-year-old Van (14-2, 7-1 UFC), who has shot up the ranks like a cannon and takes this bout on short notice. Despite that, Van is the betting favorite. Referee Jason Herzog will keep things on the up-and-up, although they kick off with a sporting fist bump.
Royval probes with his jab and sets up an early low kick. He digs a kick to the ribcage and goes back low to the calf on either side. Royval uses his reach to keep the younger man at bay, chipping away at him from a safe distance. For the first minute, Van is doing nothing more than taking potshots. Royval goes to the body again with his toes extended, and he rushes forward into the awaiting right hand from the 23-year-old. Van catches Royval twice more with his big right hand, and Royval shrugs them off and continues doing work from the outside. Royval splits the guard with jab after unanswered jab, moving and evading to not let Van get to him. Van misses on a right hand, and Royval clips him with his own short right hook. Van strikes the body with a right, and Royval reaches his target with jabs and a short check hook.
Van lands multiple blistering right hands, hitting “Raw Dawg” much harder than Royval has struck him yet. Royval goes to the body with a kick as he skirts away, and Van reaches him with a right. Van knocks Royval to his seat, although Royval stumbled on the way out. He bounces back to his feet, and Van is ready to crack him with another heavy right. Any time Royval closes the distance, Van has a right hand awaiting him. Van gets Royval’s attention twice, and Royval knees him hard in the chest. Van knocks Royval back a step with two powerful right hands on the cheek, and a third connects when Royval puts hands on him. Royval gets up close and personal, and although he delivers a single knee, Van rips the midsection with several fast fists. The strikes have marked up Royval’s nose, who does not appear concerned after getting hit hard. He potshots Van a few more times until the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Van
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 2
The fighters tap gloves before engaging, and Royval gets right back to his high-volume, low-power approach. He jams Van in the sternum with a smattering of knees before backing off, where he takes a right hand on the way out. The two swing at one another, forming a cloud of feet and fists reminiscent of an Andy Capp comic. Van drills Royval at the end of two right hands, only to eat a sharp knee on the jaw. Royval drives him back with a flurry, and his body kick allows him to get in and swing a left. Royval stings Van with a straight left, and Van comes over the top with a right. Van gets off a clubbing right in the midst of Royval’s jab-a-palooza, and he absorbs a low kick and two powerful uppercuts. Royval plants a one-two on the chin to shake up the youngster from Myanmar, and he opens up with several more punches. Van stands in the pocket and bangs with him, with Royval getting knocked back and needing to reset, his nose leaking.
Royval starts putting more behind his punches, and Van is still hurling with power. The stats are racking up fast, and Van’s right hand is a weapon that seemingly cannot miss. Van drives a knee to the chest and follows with an overhand right, and Royval rifles off a number of piston-like jabs. Van misses with his right, and Royval works him with three speedy punches. Royval’s right cheek shows damage, and he gets stood up in a combo. Royval lets jab after jab land on the nose, and he follows with long, straight left hands. Van attacks the body, and just when he is about to gain momentum, Royval is on him with a powerful salvo. They continue to unload into one another’s faces, stealing the hearts of the crowd. Royval walks straight through a hard combination, fires back and gets staggered ever-so briefly. Royval goes to the body, and they swing it out to the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Round 3
The flyweights tap gloves, and it takes nary a second for Royval to get behind his jab. He sways to avoid the worst of a right hand and fires back with a one-two. Van connects with a quick left hook, shaking Royval up with two more punches but eating a few on the way out. Van reaches out with a right hand, and he allows Royval to close in so he can smash him in the temple with his overhand right. Royval surges forward behind long arms, ignoring a few body shots to put his fists on Van’s face. Van cracks him with a huge right hand, and Royval just smiles. Royval drops a body kick on his foe, and they take a moment to compose themselves before going for broke again. Van lands a one-two, and Royval pays him right back with a knee up the middle and a few fiery fists back. Van gets in tight for a second to land body shots, and Royval disengages.
Royval drives four punches him, and Van drills him with a right hand that surprises Royval. The Factory x fighter takes a hard leg kick and goes to the body with his shin. The two brawl it out, and Royval may be bloody in the nose but he is not slowing down. Van digs a kick to the body, and Royval reaches him with a left. Van pays him back with a combo, and Royval gets in his face with a flurry. Royval goes to the body with a kick, and Van counters him up top. Royval strings together a three-punch combo, and he darts away before Van reaches him. Van stumbles his opponent with his power right, and he knees Royval in the nose. Royval checks a kick and crashes the pocket with an uppercut and several more punches. Van kicks Royval’s leg out, and he swings a right hand over the top. He catches Royval on the way in with a left, and Royval is not about to let him off the hook. With 15 seconds to go, the two batter and smash one another. Van knocks “Raw Dawg” to the mat in an insane exchange, following the former title challenger down to the mat and hammering him until time expires. What an incredible fight! Royval was hurt but made it to the end, and a new challenger has emerged. The flyweights delivered easily one of the best fights of the year, giving it everything they had and more. If only this one had two more rounds...in victory, Van proudly declares that whomever wins the title in the next match will have to go through him.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Christian Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Brandon Royval via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Angelo picks Brandon Royval because he believes Royval is still in his prime and will be the best fighter Joshua Van has ever faced. He notes that Van's UFC record is loaded with wrestlers and lower-level guys, and the last time Van fought a predominant striker, he was finished in the third round. He placed a bet on Royval weeks ago and is confident in the pick.
Big Brady believes Royval is underrated, citing his wins over top competition like Taira, Moreno, and Nicolau. He notes Van has durability concerns, having been knocked out by Charles Johnson and hurt by Edgar Chairez. Brady thinks Royval's experience, cardio, and grappling advantage will be key, and predicts Royval will hurt Van, who will then shoot for a takedown and get submitted. He picks Royval by second-round submission.
Connor initially wanted to pick Van but was convinced by Phil that Royval's style is a bad matchup for Van. He notes that Royval has become a long-range volume fighter who can frustrate opponents, and Van has struggled against tall, rangy fighters. He also mentions Royval's durability and pace as factors. However, he is not fully confident because Royval's style is not championship-level and he gives away a lot.
The host acknowledges Royval's unorthodox striking may cause early trouble, but expects Van to land big shots in the second and third rounds, possibly getting a late TKO, but ultimately winning on the scorecards in the biggest win of his career.
The host picks Joshua Van, praising his boxing, head movement, and body work. He notes that Royval's volume often lacks sting and that Van's activity and recent form are advantages. He predicts Van will win a decision, taking the first two rounds, while Royval may take the third.
Zane is also leaning towards Royval after being convinced by Phil. He notes that Royval's leaf-blower style at range could be problematic for Van, who has struggled against fighters who keep him at distance. He also mentions that Royval is durable and has a high pace. However, he is not confident because Royval's style is not impressive and Van could potentially overwhelm him if he gets inside.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno Silva | 0 | 76 of 149 | 51% | 77 of 150 | 1 of 6 | 16% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Joshua Van | 3 | 125 of 217 | 57% | 149 of 241 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 1:01 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bruno Silva | 0 | 22 of 40 | 55% | 22 of 40 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 1 | 28 of 55 | 50% | 28 of 55 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 | |
| 2 | Bruno Silva | 0 | 22 of 49 | 44% | 22 of 49 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Joshua Van | 2 | 52 of 93 | 55% | 76 of 117 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:55 | |
| 3 | Bruno Silva | 0 | 32 of 60 | 53% | 33 of 61 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 0 | 45 of 69 | 65% | 45 of 69 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruno Silva | 76 of 149 | 51% | 37 of 101 | 13 of 19 | 26 of 29 | 73 of 146 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 125 of 217 | 57% | 108 of 196 | 11 of 14 | 6 of 7 | 97 of 177 | 4 of 5 | 24 of 35 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bruno Silva | 22 of 40 | 55% | 7 of 22 | 2 of 4 | 13 of 14 | 22 of 40 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 28 of 55 | 50% | 24 of 48 | 2 of 4 | 2 of 3 | 26 of 52 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 2 | |
| 2 | Bruno Silva | 22 of 49 | 44% | 9 of 33 | 5 of 8 | 8 of 8 | 22 of 49 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 52 of 93 | 55% | 45 of 86 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 3 | 33 of 65 | 2 of 3 | 17 of 25 | |
| 3 | Bruno Silva | 32 of 60 | 53% | 21 of 46 | 6 of 7 | 5 of 7 | 29 of 57 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 45 of 69 | 65% | 39 of 62 | 5 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 38 of 60 | 1 of 1 | 6 of 8 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-625), Silva (+455)
Round 1
Vitor Ribeiro will oversee our last preliminary fight. Silva immediately scores a knockdown with his opening leg kick. Van pops back up. Both men are feeling each other out early. Silva scores with several inside leg kicks. Van fires back with a jab and then a straight right hand just barely misses. Silva scores again with a leg kick. Van lands a right-hand counter and then sneaks in an uppercut after Silva tries to flurry. The sharp striking of Van is really hurting Silva each time he lands. Silva tries to enter by charging forward. A straight right that is followed by a left hook floors Silva. Van is in complete control. Van lands a left hook as Silva misses with an overhand right. Silva goes back to his leg kicks, which is the only success he is having. Silva is eating jabs.
Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 2
Van comes out aggressive to start the second round. Silva clinches with Van to slow down the pace, but can't keep control of him. Van is working his jab while avoiding the punches of Silva. Van sneaks in a jab as Silva tries to throw a hook. Silva's face is reddened, while it doesn't look like Van has taken a single punch. Silva goes back to leg kicks, which are still effective. Nice hook to the body for Silva, who tries to throw a front kick, but it misses. Van drops Silva with a straight right hand that came as Silva was rushing forward. Van scores with ground and pound, but Silva gets back to his feet and charges for a takedown. While successful, Silva can't keep Van on the ground. Van lands a right hook that wobbles Silva. Van lands a knee to Silva as his opponent was changing levels. Van is in guard and lands punches before letting Silva up as the round expires.
Sherdog Scores
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 3
Silva uses the outside and lands a nice body kick. Van is working his jab well and then slips in a right straight. It feels as if every punch Van throws finds its mark. A nice 1-2 lands for Van, who follows it up with an uppercut. Silva is throwing back, even if he's outgunned and is showing some serious toughness. Van eats a right hand, which Silva follows with a leg kick. So far, this is Silva's best round, but he's still getting pieced up. A right hand for Van lands, bloodying the nose of Silva. A heavy jab lands for Van before landing another 1-2. Silva walks into a right hook, which stuns him. Van takes full advantage as he charges forward with uppercuts that knock Silva down, and then
Van rains down punches for the TKO victory
.
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Bruno Silva via TKO (Punches); R3, 4:01.
Angelo picks Joshua Van because of his rapid improvements and clean technique. He acknowledges Bruno Silva's power and toughness but thinks Bruno is sloppy and older. He worries about Joshua's chin after the Charles Johnson KO but believes Joshua's striking will be too clean. He notes the odds are becoming unusable at 5-to-1.
Big Brady picks Joshua Van but acknowledges this is his toughest test. He likes Van's volume, pressure, and pace, and thinks he will break Silva in the later rounds. He notes Silva's power and that Van has been finished before, but expects Van to overcome early adversity and knock Silva out in the third round. He cites Silva's history of being finished in the third round.
The fight may be competitive early, but Van's classic style is expected to take over as he batters Bruno Silva through the last 12.5 minutes. Van wins on the scorecards.
The MMA Guru picks Joshua Van, citing his composure, distance control, and improving takedown defense. He notes Bruno Silva is underrated and has power, but Van can slow the fight down and build momentum. He predicts a unanimous decision win for Van, possibly 30-27, with a scare if Van's back is taken.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 0 | 59 of 97 | 60% | 127 of 169 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:50 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 0 | 32 of 84 | 38% | 47 of 104 | 4 of 21 | 19% | 0 | 0 | 3:49 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 0 | 17 of 29 | 58% | 37 of 51 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:06 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 0 | 6 of 14 | 42% | 13 of 24 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 1:49 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 0 | 18 of 28 | 64% | 31 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:25 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 0 | 11 of 33 | 33% | 19 of 43 | 1 of 9 | 11% | 0 | 0 | 1:24 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 0 | 24 of 40 | 60% | 59 of 77 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:19 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 0 | 15 of 37 | 40% | 15 of 37 | 1 of 6 | 16% | 0 | 0 | 0:36 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 59 of 97 | 60% | 39 of 74 | 19 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 53 of 90 | 5 of 5 | 1 of 2 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 32 of 84 | 38% | 28 of 78 | 2 of 4 | 2 of 2 | 32 of 83 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 17 of 29 | 58% | 10 of 22 | 6 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 14 of 25 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 6 of 14 | 42% | 6 of 13 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 14 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 18 of 28 | 64% | 13 of 22 | 5 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 15 of 25 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 1 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 11 of 33 | 33% | 9 of 30 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 32 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 24 of 40 | 60% | 16 of 30 | 8 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 24 of 40 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Rei Tsuruya | 15 of 37 | 40% | 13 of 35 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 15 of 37 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-192), Tsuruya (+160)
Round 1
Preliminary headlining focus shifts from the heaviest weight class in the UFC instead to the lightest men’s division, as Van (12-2, 5-1 UFC) vs. Tsuruya (10-0, 1-0 UFC) has been elevated to that vaunted cable slot. As a note, this will be the first fight in the history of the promotion between two competitors born after the year of 2000, and referee Jason Herzog will do his best to keep pace with these two youngsters. The flyweights bump fists, and Tsuruya takes the center of the cage and hand-fights his opponent. Van starts to walk forward, where he jabs the body. Tsuruya shoots in on his hips, and Van shucks him off and escapes. Van stuffs a second takedown, and he turns Tsuruya towards the fence but is unable to keep him there. They jockey for position while kneeing one another in the thigh and midsection, and Van frees himself. When Tsuruya fakes for another takedown, Van sells out defending it and eats a left hand down the pipe. Van pays him back with a snappy right hand, and Tsuruya turns and runs to reset. Van tags him with another right, and he has to fend off another takedown from a long way away. Van works his way to the wall to put his back against it, helping defend the level change. Tsuruya keeps him tied up until Van explodes out of position, and he throws himself off-balance when trying to back off. Van walks him down and punches him in the face, stifling a takedown effort and breaking out of the tie-up. Tsuruya reaches out with a right hand, and he leans back to dodge a head kick that buzzes his cornrows. Van times a perfect right hand when Tsuruya ducks, and Tsuruya has to take a moment to recover. Van keeps after him, ready for the incoming takedown, and Tsuruya still manages to get lower and throws Van to his back. Van gets to his knees and escapes before anything comes from the successful takedown, and he gets back to walking the unbeaten fighter down. Tsuruya again ducks away to get safe, and Van punches him in the nose to bloody it. When Van looses a head kick, Tsuruya hits a successful single-leg entry and puts Van on his seat. Van jumps back up again and elbows Tsuruya on the break to end the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 2
It takes no more than a few seconds for Tsuruya to shoot for a takedown, and Van shuts him down. The second effort results in both men dropping to their knees, and Van gets out of this one again and goes back to marching his opponent down. Tsuruya ducks and eats a right hand, and Van runs at him with his hands flying. Tsuruya takes one or two on the chin before grabbing Van’s arm and expertly slinging him to the floor. Tsuruya holds on from a high side control, keeping his right arm beneath Van’s head while his left hand slugs Van in the face. Van bursts back to his feet, and he uncomfortably frames of Tsuruya’s face to get some space. Van stuffs a takedown and lands a punch, and Tsuruya gives him two back that set up a single. Van drops to his knees to stop the takedown from going anywhere, and he lets go to stand up. Tsuruya connects at the end of a one-two, and he gets back to circling on the outer edge of the cage. Van disallows him from getting another takedown, pushing out of the clinch so he can throw hands. Tsuruya tries to pay him back, and Van goes to the body with two thudding punches. Tsuruya whiffs, dodges and comes out with a right hand over the top, only for Van to be in his face working him with front kicks and right hands. One particularly damaging front kick forces Tsuruya to shoot, and Van laughs it off and elbows Tsuruya in the face. Tsuruya tries to spin with an elbow in close range, and Van ducks and walks him down to club him in the face with a right hand. Van scores a left hand, grabs the back of Tsuruya’s neck and lowers himself into a painful knee, and Tsuruya shakes it off and spins with a back fist that does land. Van keeps after him until the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 3
There is a glove touch to open the last round, and three seconds in, Tsuruya shoots. Van is reminded by Herzog that his opponent is grounded so he does not throw knees, and he lets Tsuruya up so he can bust him in the face with an elbow. Van keeps plodding ever forward, kicking Tsuruya in the face and eating a right hand on the way out. Two more shots from Tsuruya run into a 125-pound brick wall, and Van wants nothing to do with the grappling and gets back to throwing hands. Any time he is about to land with something effective, Tsuruya shoots, and Van easily sprawls. Tsuruya sneaks in a right hand, and he wobbles back when apparently clipped on the way out. Van goes to the body, and his foe fakes a takedown to knee him in the body. Van fires off a front kick, and it bangs into Tsuruya’s cup to force a Herzog stoppage. After 75 seconds, the fighters get back to it with a touch of gloves. Tsuruya shoots in with a naked takedown, and Van belts him in the side of the head as he backs himself to the fence. Van unleashes vicious left hands to the side, with Tsuruya all the way in for a takedown that he is not landing. Van turns the corner and gets out, and he puts his foot on the gas and hops away from a low kick. Van jabs his way in, and he walks through a Tsuruya punch to put one on Tsuruya’s chin. Tsuruya comes up short on a one-two, and Van stings him with a straight right hand. A second from “The Fearless” stumbles Tsuruya, who gathers his thoughts and spins with a back fist that brushes off the side. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 failed takedowns have now come from Tsuruya, and Van walks him down and kicks him in the gut. Van goes to the body and wings a right hand up top, but the big right hand misses his target. Van jams a front kick into Tsuruya’s midsection, and Tsuruya goes down clutching his groin. However, the toes from Van are shown to have stabbed into Tsuruya’s torso, and Herzog ushers them back to restart the fight despite that it was partially a groin shot. Van walks his man down, punching in the face repeatedly, and nearly dropping him right before the final bell. When time expires, Van raises his arms in the air and goes to talk to someone outside the cage, proud that he very likely ejected the Japanese fighter from the ranks of the unbeaten.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van (30-27 Van)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Van (30-27 Van)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van (30-27 Van)
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Rei Tsuruya via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 0 | 70 of 217 | 32% | 74 of 223 | 2 of 8 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 3:14 |
| Cody Durden | 0 | 165 of 304 | 54% | 184 of 323 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:20 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 0 | 14 of 33 | 42% | 18 of 38 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 3:14 |
| Cody Durden | 0 | 30 of 49 | 61% | 46 of 65 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 0 | 27 of 99 | 27% | 27 of 100 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Durden | 0 | 72 of 136 | 52% | 73 of 137 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:09 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 0 | 29 of 85 | 34% | 29 of 85 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cody Durden | 0 | 63 of 119 | 52% | 65 of 121 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:11 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 70 of 217 | 32% | 60 of 203 | 6 of 8 | 4 of 6 | 70 of 217 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Durden | 165 of 304 | 54% | 131 of 262 | 22 of 27 | 12 of 15 | 144 of 279 | 19 of 22 | 2 of 3 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 14 of 33 | 42% | 13 of 30 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 1 | 14 of 33 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Durden | 30 of 49 | 61% | 24 of 39 | 2 of 4 | 4 of 6 | 15 of 32 | 13 of 15 | 2 of 2 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 27 of 99 | 27% | 22 of 93 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 27 of 99 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Durden | 72 of 136 | 52% | 57 of 119 | 14 of 15 | 1 of 2 | 71 of 134 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 29 of 85 | 34% | 25 of 80 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 | 29 of 85 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cody Durden | 63 of 119 | 52% | 50 of 104 | 6 of 8 | 7 of 7 | 58 of 113 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-155), Durden (+130)
Round 1
Speed is the name of the game in this flyweight affair, as skilled grappler Durden (17-6-1, 6-4-1 UFC) will try to ply his trade against offense-first Houstonian by way of Myanmar Van (11-2, 4-1 UFC). The two 125ers looking to climb the ranks share similar stoppage rates of 71% and 73%, respectively, which is rare at this division and something referee Chris Tognoni should keep in mind when officiating this contest. Fists are bumped, and they come into close range to trade. Durden lands a low kick and comes up short on a one-two. Van connects with a hard low kick, and Durden fires back with a surprisingly effective high kick and a punch salvo. Durden punches his way into a double-leg takedown, and he gets elbows in the side of the head when trying. Durden drops all the way down to fish for Van’s ankle, and he lifts “The Fearless” up and deposits him to his seat. Van methodically works his way back to his feet with Durden pressuring and leaning on him, and he hacks with a few elbows before Durden drags him back down to the floor. Van strikes with elbows to the side of the dome, and Durden takes a moment to cover as he does not like absorbing them. Van muscles his way up to his feet, but Durden is on him like a cheap suit. Van rips the body with a right hand to break away, and he rushes forward behind his jab. Durden fires off a left hand, and the two trade blows in the pocket. Van pierces the guard with a few jabs and works the body in subsequent strikes, and he snaps the head back with a sharp uppercut. Van gets Durden’s attention, slipping an uppercut to get Durden’s attention. Van slams his shin on the front leg of his foe, and he walks square into an uppercut that Durden is spamming. As Van meanders forward, Durden stops him with a double-leg entry. Van defends with elbows until Durden switches to a single-leg takedown attempt, and Van is able to set his leg down while keeping himself upright. Durden tries to lift Van up in the air, but he settles for grinding out the remainder of the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Durden
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Durden
Round 2
The flyweights race out of their corners to re-engage, and engage they do. Both men load up on wild strikes, and Van rocks his opponent with a flurry. Durden fires back, and he keeps Van honest but is not taking him out of the equation. Van shrugs off a head kick to do some damage with punch combos, and he sprawls to stop a takedown and clips Durden with an uppercut. Van chains his punches together, and Durden’s balance is starting to betray him as his knees wobble. Van knocks his man back with an accurate series of punches, and he drills the midsection and is ready to stop a takedown. Durden flops to his back, and Van tells him to get up. Tognoni has him stand up, and they start up throwing fire again. Durden lands, and all Van does is smile and swing back with a vengeance. Durden’s power is starting to slip due to fatigue, while Van is accurate and putting high volume that marks Durden’s face up on the nose and eyebrow. Durden overswings, and he eats a crisp overhand right for his effort. “The Fearless” fearlessly engages in a slugfest, landing first and last in exchanges. Van is not loading up, instead allowing Durden to do that so he can capitalize on the wild, lumbering swings and retaliate sharply. Van stops a takedown in its tracks so he can drive home an uppercut, and he wades away from a spinning back fist and slides in to connect with a right hand. Durden’s inaccurate left hook leads to three punches busting him in the chops. Durden keeps swinging hard, and the telegraphed strikes are either missing entirely or sliding off the target and getting rolled with. Van puts a one-two on the chin, and Durden responds with a left and a big right. Van strings together five punches in rapid succession, leaning back to dodge “Custom Made” and forward to connect cleanly. When Van eats the power strikes, he does not budge, while every other blow seems to draw a reaction out of the slowing Durden. The round ends with the two trading leather.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 3
A glove touch commences the final frame, and Van is immediately in striking range as he flusters Durden with movement and footwork. Durden fights behind his jab, and he puts some mustard behind a follow-up right hand. Van no-sells the strike and nails Durden with two powerful low kicks, and Durden swipes back at him with left hooks. Van goes high and then to the body and low calf, mixing things up to keep Durden guessing. Durden tries a Superman punch from up close, only fur Van to block it and knock him back a step. One-twos from both sides land on the guard, and Van clubs his foe on the temple and drops Durden to a knee. Durden signals that it was not a big deal, drawing Van into a brawl. Yan’s offense is gradually breaking Durden down, and he connects with a particularly rough left hand that makes Durden fall to his back. Durden is forced to stand back up, and he keeps his right hand covering the eye socket that might have been hurt. Van strings three punches into a knee to the liver, and Durden shells up and launches a huge right hand that goes wide. Van stifles a takedown and misses with a haymaker, only to drift back when Durden spins with a back fist. Van slips and counters his foe, and Durden wobbles but stays on his feet. A jab from Van makes Durden frown, but it does not slow him down as he hurls huge hooks anywhere he can aim them. Van walks him down and connects cleanly, knocking Durden’s mouthpiece out. Tognoni calls time during a moment to break to replace Durden’s gumshield, and the two resume their torrid brawl. Durden may be leading with his chin, but he is swinging with everything he has. Van hurts him with a few hooks, a knee and a head kick, and Durden is hanging on tight but just taking damage. Durden swings it out until the final bell, putting an end to an exciting striking affair.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van (30-27 Van)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Cody Durden via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)
Angelo picks Cody Durden as a dog, citing Durden's relentless pressure wrestling and cardio as key factors. He believes Durden's takedowns will frustrate Joshua Van and deplete his confidence. Angelo notes both fighters are chinny but expects Durden to focus on winning rather than brawling. He is monitoring the line movement and may bet if the odds widen further.
Cody picks Van but expects a tough first round. He notes Durden's wrestling and fast starts, but thinks Van's cardio and volume will take over in later rounds. He suggests live betting Van after the first round.
Connor picks Durden, though he hates to do it. He notes that Durden starts fast and pressures aggressively, which could overwhelm Van, who tends to start slow and build into fights. Connor points out that Van has been taking too much damage recently and is fighting too frequently, which raises concerns about his durability. He also mentions that Durden's pace and wrestling could be a problem for Van, who has shown vulnerability early in fights.
Daniel admits bias as Durden's friend but provides analysis: he believes Durden's well-rounded attack and ability to exploit Van's uncomfortable ranges will lead to a win. He expects Durden to mix takedowns and striking effectively.
Van successfully bounced back from his knockout loss to Charles Johnson by defeating Edgar Chairez. He will take that momentum, showcase improved takedown defense, keep the fight standing, and eventually catch Durden slipping to get a knockout victory.
Paul picks Durden as an underdog, citing his wrestling and fast starts. He notes Van's high fight frequency and potential wear. He thinks Durden can win the first two rounds and hold on, but acknowledges the risk.
The MMA Guru picks Cody Durden, citing Van's tendency to get rocked on the feet and Durden's improved hands and grappling. He thinks Durden's size and takedowns will be too much for Van, and that once Durden gets a lead he is hard to catch. He predicts a 29-28 decision based on the first two rounds.
Zane also picks Durden, expressing concern for Van's health and development. He notes that Van is inexperienced and makes bad decisions under duress, and that Durden's early pressure and wrestling could exploit that. Zane points out that Van has been in wars recently and is fighting too often, which could lead to him getting knocked out or losing a decision. He believes Durden is a tough out and that Van's ceiling is higher but not yet realized.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 0 | 79 of 189 | 41% | 87 of 197 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:27 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 0 | 118 of 200 | 59% | 183 of 276 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:26 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 0 | 40 of 81 | 49% | 40 of 81 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 0 | 23 of 48 | 47% | 23 of 48 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 0 | 28 of 73 | 38% | 33 of 78 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 0 | 71 of 108 | 65% | 101 of 144 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:14 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 0 | 11 of 35 | 31% | 14 of 38 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:27 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 0 | 24 of 44 | 54% | 59 of 84 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:12 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 79 of 189 | 41% | 46 of 145 | 12 of 18 | 21 of 26 | 77 of 187 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 118 of 200 | 59% | 79 of 155 | 24 of 30 | 15 of 15 | 109 of 187 | 4 of 4 | 5 of 9 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 40 of 81 | 49% | 15 of 52 | 6 of 8 | 19 of 21 | 39 of 80 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 23 of 48 | 47% | 12 of 37 | 4 of 4 | 7 of 7 | 23 of 48 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 28 of 73 | 38% | 21 of 62 | 6 of 8 | 1 of 3 | 27 of 72 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 71 of 108 | 65% | 52 of 85 | 14 of 18 | 5 of 5 | 67 of 104 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 11 of 35 | 31% | 10 of 31 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 2 | 11 of 35 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 24 of 44 | 54% | 15 of 33 | 6 of 8 | 3 of 3 | 19 of 35 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 9 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-218), Chairez (+180)
Round 1
Plugging right along, flyweights take center stage in a fast-paced matchup that is likely to make referee Mark Smith dizzy before it is all over. Once expecting to battle Kevin Borjas, the tables have turned and previously favored Chairez (11-5, 1 NC; 1-1, 1 NC UFC) is now an underdog to replacement Van (10-2, 3-1 UFC). With finish rates of 100% and 80%, respectively, the two will go to battle in hopes of leaving the judges out of the equation once more. They touch gloves before getting down to it, and Chairez introduces himself with three quick kicks. Van resets, and Chairez walks him down to kick him another time in the lead leg. Van fires back, but the kick is checked with a thump. Chairez jabs with the ball of his foot and slams home an outside low kick, and he chambers to release a body kick. Van is getting chewed up by kicks, and Chairez opens up with a pair of swatting left hands. Van lets loose a head kick, and he doubles up on a jab that may have poked Chairez in the eye. Smith warns Van about his outstretched fingers, and Chairez hammers the front leg of his opponent with two more kicks. When Chairez stutter-steps his way in, Van counters with a right hand over the top. Chairez nails the calf once more with a kick, and as Van attempts to counter, Chairez kicks it again. Chairez scoops an uppercut that bangs in the chin of his foe, and Van shakes it off and sticks out a jab. Van evades a low kick but is not out of the way of a sharp jab, and a second kick from Chairez shakes Van up. Van gathers his thoughts and gets up close and personal to throw hands, only to get met with a step-in knee. They both kick one another low, but Chairez’ is much more powerful and damaging. Chairez whiffs on a one-two, but he uses his jab to set strikes up. Van dips under a jab to loop a right hand over the guard, and he connects with two low kicks on the way out. Van scores another low kick that irritates Chairez, but Chairez kicks him back and forces him to limp as well. Chairez’ jab and low kick seemingly cannot miss, and he plants a body kick to the ribs and pecks out with jabs. Van misses on a wheel kick, and Chairez smiles at him and pushes out a jab and a left hook. When Van throws a naked leg kick, Chairez sets him down with a powerful straight right hand. Van pops back up, and Chairez is in his face throwing punches. Chairez calms himself down after missing with a kick, but Van wants to keep swinging in the pocket. Van succeeds in brushing a left hand by the jaw, and Chairez answers with an Andy Hug-inspired spin kick to the lower leg. The horn sounds after the unorthodox blow.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Chairez
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Chairez
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Chairez
Round 2
After a glove touch, Chairez says hello with a leaping knee. Van pushes past it and puts his hands together. Chairez keeps him at bay with jabs and low kicks, and one calf kick from Van makes Chairez change stances. Van sits down on a short left hand and hammers the front leg with two kicks, and Chaires frowns and tries to give him back a few punches. Van is quicker to the punch on these exchanges, starting combinations first and ending them last. Van strings several punches up high to body, and Chairez leans over showing he is a little hurt. Van turns it on, chasing after the Mexican and letting loose a flurry of fists and feet. Chairez feebly responds, but Van breaks him down with body shots. Van unloads an onslaught of punches and kicks, especially targeting the body, and Chairez is barely on his feet and leaned against the fence. Chairez grabs the fence with one arm, and when Van sells out for a blitz, he spins with a back fist that smashes Van in the face. Van staggers back to the wall, and now it is he who is hurt badly. Van tries to compromise himself by tackling Chairez to the ground, and they both share a laugh and catch their breath after ferocious exchanges. Van decides to stand back up, and they get back to it, with Van landing punch combinations and aiming at the body. Chairez digs deep and launches an overhand right that rocks the man from Myanmar. Van tries to steel himself and charge into the fray, and Chairez jumps guard with a guillotine choke that is tight in an instant. Van manages to work his head out of danger, and he settles down on top. Both fighters need to again get their wind back after another slugfest, and they trade ground strikes until the horn sounds. Talk about a “Round of the Year” contender.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 3
It is anyone’s guess how much these two flyweights have left in the tank after 10 minutes of frenetic action, but they are eager to get going and tap gloves. Chairez starts the round with several low kicks, and he uses them to keep enough distance along with his jabs. Van pushes through a few with a one-two, and he slams home a low kick only to get met with a leg kick coming right back. Van sneaks a right hand over the top, and Chairez jabs him back to the body with a front kick. Van jabs the body, and he receives a one-two in response. Chairez uses head movement to keep himself safe from the majority of the strikes, but a body shot does get to him. Van jabs low and punches high, and Chairez tries to slip and move but finds himself square in the center of a methodical slugfest. Van goes after two punches and a front kick to the gut, and he chases after his foe. As Chairez looks to escape, he trips on Van’s foot and falls to his seat. Van assumes top control in a hurry, but Chairez does not settle for this position and instead tries to stand. Van answers by dropping to his back in pursuit of a heel hook, and he makes Chairez drop back to the mat as well to defend it. Chairez fights out of the leglock and takes Van’s back while they both stand up. Van shoots in for a double-leg takedown, and he lifts Chairez up and slams him back down with emphasis. Chairez defends by throwing his legs up to go after a triangle choke, and he looks his left leg over the shoulder but cannot get his right leg locked up. Van pushes through it and hammerfists his foe in the face several times, and he keeps Chairez stuck in the corner of the floor and the fence. Van sits comfortably in half guard pounding down, using his free left hand to shut Chairez down until time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van (29-28 Van)
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Edgar Chairez via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo picks Joshua Van, calling him the better fighter skill-for-skill. He notes Van is a solid striker with good aggression and decent grappling, while Cháirez is hittable with a negative striking differential. Angelo acknowledges Van is coming off a KO loss but sees this as a good bounceback spot against a more stationary target. He suggests waiting for weigh-ins if nervous about the short notice, but expects Van to win as a 2-to-1 favorite.
Big Brady initially considered Cháirez as a live dog due to his submission threat and Van's recent KO loss, but after watching Cháirez's fights, he found Cháirez rarely wrestles and relies on opponents shooting in. He believes Van will win if the fight stays on the feet, but he hates the price and is concerned about Van's durability coming back from a knockout. He predicts Van by decision.
Daniel picks Joshua Van, citing his volume and pressure, but warns that Cháirez is dangerous with heavy hands and opportunistic submissions. He thinks Van will out-volume Cháirez but could get caught. He ultimately believes Van gets the win.
The transcript does not discuss this fight.
Van is the cleaner and crisper striker of the two, but there is concern about his recent knockout loss. However, his defensive striking is normally not bad. Expects Van to deal with Cháirez's aggressive style early and run away with the fight in deep water, winning on the scorecards.
The MMA Guru picks Joshua Van by decision. He notes that Cháirez doesn't have huge knockout power and is more of a submission guy, but Van won't get submitted. He expects a standup fight and Van's patient approach to see out the first round and work into the second and third. He also justifies the quick turnaround after a KO by noting Van is a small flyweight who doesn't drain himself making weight.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Johnson | 0 | 67 of 133 | 50% | 72 of 140 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:15 |
| Joshua Van | 1 | 88 of 191 | 46% | 90 of 195 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:34 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Johnson | 0 | 22 of 46 | 47% | 27 of 53 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:15 |
| Joshua Van | 0 | 44 of 80 | 55% | 46 of 83 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:32 | |
| 2 | Charles Johnson | 0 | 44 of 83 | 53% | 44 of 83 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 0 | 36 of 100 | 36% | 36 of 101 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Charles Johnson | 0 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Joshua Van | 1 | 8 of 11 | 72% | 8 of 11 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Johnson | 67 of 133 | 50% | 44 of 106 | 17 of 20 | 6 of 7 | 60 of 123 | 7 of 9 | 0 of 1 |
| Joshua Van | 88 of 191 | 46% | 44 of 124 | 25 of 41 | 19 of 26 | 84 of 184 | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Johnson | 22 of 46 | 47% | 13 of 36 | 8 of 9 | 1 of 1 | 16 of 37 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 1 |
| Joshua Van | 44 of 80 | 55% | 18 of 41 | 13 of 23 | 13 of 16 | 41 of 74 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Charles Johnson | 44 of 83 | 53% | 30 of 66 | 9 of 11 | 5 of 6 | 43 of 82 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 36 of 100 | 36% | 19 of 74 | 11 of 16 | 6 of 10 | 36 of 100 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Charles Johnson | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Joshua Van | 8 of 11 | 72% | 7 of 9 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Van (-205), Johnson (+170)
Round 1
Capping off the prelims is the flyweights, who will likely engage in a high-paced frenzy of feet and fists. Van (10-1, 3-0 UFC), training out of 4oz Fight Club in Texas, comes in on an eight-fight win streak with stoppages in six of those. While he has only won two in a row, Johnson (15-6, 3-4 UFC) is on the first winning stretch of his UFC career as he has already picked up two decisions this year. This speedy affair will be joined in the cage by referee Joe Coca, and it kicks off with an appropriately quick glove touch. Johnson leads off in a hurry with a leg kick, a jab to the body and a high kick. Van blocks a subsequent body kick, and he keeps his guard up to defend a jab. Johnson picks at him from distance, mixing his attack up to all targets. As Johnson crashes forward, he clips Van with a right hand, and Van takes it flush and does not bat an eye. Johnson stays active with several chopping low kicks, flicking out jabs and flustering Van. Van tries to close the distance with his own strikes, but Johnson is far more active than the self-described slow starter. Johnson peppers him with jabs and low kicks, pushing out a front kick to make Van back away. Van pushes in with a jab and an overhand right, and he uses it to tie Johnson up. “InnerG” turns him around and pounds Van in the thigh and breadbasket with knees, and Van tries to fight out of it to no avail. Johnson shoots in for a double, and Van stonewalls him and backs him away with his own jab. Van protects his ribs with a kick and sets his right hand on the chin. Johnson strings together three punches in response, and he brushes his face to say Van did not land. Van ignores this and touches him two more times with an overhand right, and Johnson stumbles and escapes when backed to the cage. Van brings up a knee that bounces into the cup, and Johnson tells Coca he is fine and that there is no stoppage necessary. Van walks Johnson down, fighting behind a jab and landing right hands to follow. Van knocks his man off his feet, and Johnson defends with an armbar off his back. Johnson jumps back to his feet when Van pulls out of the submission, and he shoots for a takedown that fails. Johnson prods out jabs, and Van busts him in the chops with a right and a left. Van makes Johnson shell up with a right hand and two body shots, and the power difference is fast. Van puts a lot more behind his strikes, and he gets the reactions he seeks when landing until the bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 2
Van comes out of his corner ready to pick up where he left off, marching “InnerG” down and landing a few strikes on the way in. Johnson is also similarly active, picking and poking with distance strikes. Van smashes him in the face with an uppercut, and Johnson does not like this and circles away. Van gives chase, chaining three punches together as Johnson escapes. The Terminator-like Van plods forward, aiming strikes to the body when not going up top. Johnson reaches out with a swiping left hook, and it does not make Van back up one inch. Van comes out throwing with two hooks, and Johnson barely gets out of the way. Johnson jabs twice and powers out a left hand, and Van no-sells him and gives him back a sharp jab that makes Johnson turn his head dismissively. Van pops him with a left and comes at him with a head kick, and Johnson bounces off the cage and lets loose with a right hand. Johnson whiffs on two hooks, and Van stays tightly compact and dings Johnson with a left hook on the nose. Van buckles the leg with a kick, ignoring Johnson’s jabs and straight punches. Johnson scores a left, and Van does too. Van jabs his way into a short combination, and Johnson punches back as he strafes to the side. Van nails him with a right hand, and Johnson shakes it off and throws back. Van loops a few right hands around the guard, and Johnson strikes back and gets in an elbow down the middle. Van keeps pursuing his foe, and the two flyweights are trading without fear. Johnson steps through with a knee, and Van responds with a right hand over the top and barely blocks a spinning back elbow in time. Van misses with a right as Johnson jumps forward, and his head kick is blocked. Two Johnson jabs end the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 3
There is a brief glove touch to begin the last round, and Johnson lands the first strike with a right hand. As they both swing for the fences, Johnson nails his opponent with a right hand. Johnson blasts the body with a kick and ducks to avoid a screaming left hook, and he fakes a leg kick to spin with an elbow that bounces off Van’s forehead. Van tries to make him pay with an overhand right, but Johnson’s own fast right finds its mark and gets Van’s attention. Johnson jabs the body and comes up top with two punches, and his crisp right staggers “The Fearless.”
Johnson walks Van down and clobbers him with a thunderous uppercut, sending Van careening to the mat. As Johnson leaps down to smash Van with a big right hand, Coca dives between them, and Van’s head bounces off the mat to bring him back around.
While Van sits up to potentially protests the stoppage, he realizes he got his bell rung and that there is nothing more he can do. Johnson celebrates his wild comeback victory after a thrilling battle, and he sets the crowd up to drown out the arena with “USA” chants.
The Official Result
Charles Johnson def. Joshua Van R3 0:20 via KO (Punches)
Angelo picks Charles Johnson as an underdog, citing his experience against higher-level competition and short-notice adaptability. He acknowledges Joshua Van's power and prospect status but believes Johnson's veteran savvy and awkward style could frustrate Van. Angelo has a small bet ($25, quarter unit) on Johnson at +170 and mentions a potential plus 3.5 round bet as a safer alternative.
Cody picks Van, citing his youth, volume, and cardio. He notes Van's slow starts but believes his pace will overwhelm Johnson, who tends to fade. He expects Van to win by decision or late finish.
Daniel Vreeland picks Charles Johnson to win a close decision. He notes that Johnson is a veteran who has been in tough battles and has prepared well for the altitude. He acknowledges Van's talent but thinks Van may face a roadblock. He likes the plus 180 underdog value and expects a split decision type fight.
Joshua Van's style is more reliable with consistent output. Despite a height and reach disadvantage, Van will crash the pocket and land body shots, setting up his striking game. The minus 200 line is a bit wide, but Van should win on the scorecards.
Paul picks Van, citing his volume and cardio. He notes Johnson's tendency to lose rounds early and then fade, while Van gets stronger as the fight goes on. He expects Van to outwork Johnson and win a decision.
Tatsuro Taira - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 2 | 131 of 209 | 62% | 190 of 269 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 2 | 0 | 1:21 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 55 of 151 | 36% | 100 of 199 | 8 of 21 | 38% | 0 | 0 | 10:38 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 0 | 7 of 13 | 53% | 21 of 28 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 16 of 26 | 61% | 20 of 31 | 4 of 5 | 80% | 0 | 0 | 3:40 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 1 | 21 of 32 | 65% | 47 of 58 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:27 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 5 of 19 | 26% | 16 of 32 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 2:53 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 1 | 57 of 89 | 64% | 64 of 96 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 2 | 0 | 0:50 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 14 of 49 | 28% | 16 of 51 | 2 of 7 | 28% | 0 | 0 | 0:42 | |
| 4 | Joshua Van | 0 | 19 of 37 | 51% | 31 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 13 of 34 | 38% | 41 of 62 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 3:15 | |
| 5 | Joshua Van | 0 | 27 of 38 | 71% | 27 of 38 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 7 of 23 | 30% | 7 of 23 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van | 131 of 209 | 62% | 118 of 195 | 12 of 12 | 1 of 2 | 104 of 173 | 9 of 10 | 18 of 26 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 55 of 151 | 36% | 45 of 131 | 3 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 43 of 131 | 4 of 7 | 8 of 13 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Van | 7 of 13 | 53% | 7 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 7 of 12 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 16 of 26 | 61% | 12 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 3 | 9 of 16 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 8 | |
| 2 | Joshua Van | 21 of 32 | 65% | 20 of 31 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 14 of 22 | 1 of 1 | 6 of 9 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 5 of 19 | 26% | 3 of 15 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 17 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Joshua Van | 57 of 89 | 64% | 54 of 85 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 41 of 68 | 4 of 4 | 12 of 17 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 14 of 49 | 28% | 13 of 46 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 14 of 47 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | |
| 4 | Joshua Van | 19 of 37 | 51% | 19 of 37 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 18 of 36 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 13 of 34 | 38% | 10 of 29 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 3 | 10 of 30 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 | |
| 5 | Joshua Van | 27 of 38 | 71% | 18 of 29 | 9 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 24 of 35 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 7 of 23 | 30% | 7 of 19 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 2 | 7 of 21 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-170), Van (+142)
Round 1
They say a champion is only truly a champion when they successfully defend their title. Van (16-2, 9-1 UFC) earned it in December by forcing Alexandre Pantoja to snap his arm during a post when Pantoja defended a takedown. His first test as a beltholder will be once-beaten Taira (18-1, 8-1 UFC), who may have the edge on the mat and is currently the betting favorite. Referee “Shaolin” Vitor Ribeiro will issue instructions, standing back as the flyweights touch ‘em up.
Taira gets right behind his jab, bouncing in and out to score a hard low kick. Taira sets up another low kick, and he shoots after it with a deep double-leg entry. These Japanese fighter peels Van away from the cage and wrenches him down with a body lock, landing in a dominant position he uses to climb into full mount. Fans start raining down boos as Taira resides on top, and Taira ignores them all to smother the champ. Van bucks to get some space, and he recovers back to half guard thanks to a butterfly hook he sneaks in. Van uses his legs to push Taira away, only for Taira to practically step over to side control like he was in a day-one BJJ course. Van muscles his way back to his feet, finding that Taira wraps up a guillotine choke on him to keep him down. Van shrugs it off to stand, and he walks the Japanese fighter down to punch him square in the face.
Both men land flush jabs on the other, and Taira gathers himself to connect with a heft y low kick. Van slowly, calmly works forward, snapping the head back with a jab. Taira races forward to complete a takedown, putting Van’s seat on the floor and back to the cage. Taira prefers at this point to maintain control rather than inflict damage, so Van is able to wall-walk back to his feet practically uncontested. Taira leans on Van and yanks him to the floor with a body lock, stepping into full mount in seconds. Van sits up, and Taira forces him back down and misses with an elbow. When Van stands, Taira lashes out with punches. Van strikes back from up close, and the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 2
The flyweights rush towards one another to start off the round, and when they reach striking range, they bounce backwards simultaneously. Van is the one who opts to push forward, and he fights off a faked takedown entry. Taira puts a one-two and a jab on the nose, offering a half-hearted shot and then a strong one after. Taira switches quickly from a double to a single, and they jostle one another around with Taira thumping his man in the sternum with a knee. Van stands up him with fast, powerful hands, and Taira’s face starts to glow red. Van chases after Taira, whose hands are down, and he rocks him with a right hand. Taira has to circle away to regain his composure, and he darts in to strike but Van is out of the way. Taira times an advancing Van to take him off his feet, and he climbs to mount practically the moment they hit the mat.
Van bucks and wriggles to break out of the mount position without absorbing any damage, but he remains stuck on his back as Taira smothers him and reapplies mount. Taira rides the champion like a bucking bronco, getting pulled back to half guard when Van keeps active off his back. Van hacks away from his back, and he appears to be the only one attacking with anything of note. Van sits up and finds himself in choke danger, shucking off the choke to explode back to his feet. Taira stands tall and is about to rush after a takedown, only for Van to knock him clean off his feet with a right hand. Taira hits the deck, and Van leaps down after him in hopes of finishing the job. He cannot, and Taira makes it to Round 3 and wobbles back to his corner.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 3
Brimming with confidence, Van stalks down the challenger and jabs his way in. Taira shoots for a desperate takedown, and Van shoves him to the floor and lets him stand back up so he can do work on the feet. Van no-sells a takedown shot and puts his fists in Taira’s face repeatedly. Taira gets his bell rung with a three-punch combo ending with an uppercut, and he throws back single strikes but is nowhere near as fast as his opponent. Taira’s takedown shot fails again, and Van rails him with an overhand right and a left to the liver. Taira circles out to reposition himself in the center of the cage, and his nose gets blooded up by the champ’s jab. Taira throws a calf kick and rushes for a takedown, but he sprints face-first into a flush but questionable knee that rocks him to his core. Taira’s nose bleeds from both nostrils, and he takes a quick count of his teeth and rebounds off the cage wall to swing back. Van beats him to the punch figuratively and literally with speedy combinations, an effective jab and a constant pace. The jabs of Van knock Taira to his seat, who looks around confused but is still in the fight.
Taira tries for a takedown to get his wits about him, so Van turns it against him and slings him to the floor like a side of beef. Van, rather than going after a ground-and-pound finish, slips around to take the back and hunt for a rear-naked choke. Van settles on a neck crank, and Taira steels himself to survive it. Van reapplies the crank, and once more, Taira toughs it out. Van’s third try slips his arm beneath the neck, and the rear-naked choke is tight and appears academic. The Japanese challenger somehow wills himself back into the fight, working out of the choke danger and twisting to work to his feet. Van has no issue with this, as he continues beating three shades of something into Taira’s face. Blood pours from several places around his visage, but he still wants the takedown. He shoots and completes the takedown, and on Van’s return to his feet, Taira hits a mat return. Van gets out of this as well, and Taira walks him down and busts him in the nose. The horn sounds, with Taira surviving after that onslaught.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Van
Round 4
The championship rounds are here, and the flyweights are ready to fight again. Taira nails his opponent with a stern calf kick that draws a big reaction out of the champ, and he uses his momentum to rush forward and grip hold of a body lock to chuck Van to the mat. Van on his back uses his butterfly guard to keep Taira from moving to a dominant position. Van looks for a sweep, and Taira lowers himself flat to slip into full mount again. Taira pummels Van with his shoulder from above, and he stops Van from turning to the side by clubbing him with his free right hand. Van tries to buck and kick, but Taira transforms himself into a 125-pound lead weight.
Van sits up, and Taira throws his legs up to grip hold of a triangle armbar. Van wriggles free and stands back up, and he motions for Taira to follow him. Taira obliges him and gets behind his jab, but Van nails him in the nose a few times to force blood to flow some more. Taira slaps himself in the face a few times after absorbing damage like Curly from the “Three Stooges,” and Van stays right in front of him putting fist to face. Taira kicks low and high, reaching behind his long jab to chain them together. Taira runs face-first into the ground when going after a takedown, avoiding a knee that Van has ready for him by a margin of inches. Taira grinds on the champ until 10 seconds remain, with Van breaking off and jabbing into a right hand. The fourth round is now over.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Van
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 5
The fighters share a smile, having reached the last round. It is jab city when they resume fighting, with Van working his way in behind a right hand. Taira ducks strikes to shoot for a takedown, and he gets stood up when Van’s back hit the wall. Taira tries again, and Van pushes off and lets him have it. Both men trade heavy leather, with Taira ending a combination with another failed shot.
Van rips a few punches to the body, bending the challenger over to open up head shots. The champ stabs out with a front kick to the stomach and hurls a rapid barrage of punches at his adversary until Taira turns to his side and tries to circle out, stumbling all the while. This is apparently enough for Ribeiro to think he should step in. Riberio waves things off, and Taira instantly protests that it was premature.
His cries call on deaf ears, so he throws his mouthguard away in frustration. The result is what it is, as Van has successfully defended his flyweight strap with a fifth-round stoppage, while becoming the first fighter to finish Taira. In his victorious post-fight interview, Van tells former champ Pantoja to heal up so that they can run it back.
The Official Result
Joshua Van def. Tatsuro Taira R5 1:32 via TKO (Front Kick to the Body and Punches)
Angelo picks Joshua Van, emphasizing his striking pressure and volume. He notes Van lands a high number of strikes and has shown takedown defense against wrestlers. He thinks Taira's striking pressure is weak and Van will keep the fight standing. He expresses concern about a possible injury to Van that caused the fight to be moved, but assumes both are healthy. He compares Taira's loss to Brandon Royval as a blueprint for Van.
Angelo picks Joshua Van, citing his incredible volume and takedown defense. He believes Van's striking will be too much for Taira, similar to how Royval beat Taira with volume. He notes that Van doesn't get frustrated when taken down and focuses on getting back up.
Big Brady picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his elite back-taking and grappling. He notes Van has been submitted before and Taira has power on the feet. Brady expects Taira to get the fight to the ground and secure a submission, specifically a second-round submission. He acknowledges Van's volume but thinks grappling will decide the fight.
Cody picks Taira, emphasizing his well-rounded skills and ability to take Van down and control him. He notes Taira's improved striking and grappling, and believes he can neutralize Van's volume by wrestling. Cody expects Taira to win by submission or decision, as Van's takedown defense is suspect.
Connor picks Van, emphasizing his faith in Van's game in Taira's area of expertise (striking) over Taira's game in Van's area. He notes Taira's lack of pocket feel, as seen against Moreno, and Van's ability to metabolize takedown threats. Connor believes Van's fight-building style will break Taira down, as Taira has no build-back plan.
Daniel picks Van, agreeing with Cody and Malcolm. He highlights Van's superior striking and ability to defend takedowns, though he notes Taira's back-taking ability and heart. Daniel is confident Van will make the fight his and Taira will have to absorb many strikes.
The host leans toward Taira but does not place a pre-fight bet. He notes Taira's superior grappling and back takes, but Van's dangerous boxing and potential cardio advantage. He prefers to live bet this fight to get more information on Van's takedown defense. He mentions Van +5.5 fight spread as interesting but holds off.
Predicted method: Submission Round 3. Taira's grappling-heavy style (3.12 takedowns per round, 1.6 submission average) poses a clear threat to Van, who has 81% takedown defense but has faced less relentless wrestlers. Van's striking volume (8.84 SLpM) is impressive, but Taira's 2.44 SApM indicates he absorbs few strikes, and his recent KO win over Brandon Moreno shows improved power. Taira's reach advantage (70" vs 65") helps him close distance for takedowns. Expect Taira to mix in takedowns, neutralize Van's striking, and secure a submission or dominant decision.
Jacob is confident in Joshua Van, praising his confidence and athleticism. He thinks Van's takedown defense and cardio will be key, and that Taira will struggle to get takedowns in later rounds. He believes Van will dominate once the takedowns stop working.
Lucrative James favors Tatsuro Taira because he believes the grappling gap is larger than the striking gap at flyweight, and submissions are more decisive than knockouts at this weight class. He notes Taira needs one moment to finish, while Van needs multiple moments. He also cites Van's high fight frequency (5 fights in 13 months) as a potential negative, and Van's chin issues. He predicts Taira by submission.
The host picks Van, believing his defensive grappling has improved enough to keep Taira from dominating. He expects Van to outstrike Taira, work the body, and win on the scorecards. He notes that Taira is dangerous early but Van's pace and striking will be too much in championship rounds.
Paul also picks Taira, citing his grappling advantage and experience in five-round fights. He thinks Taira's takedowns and control will be key, and that Van's slow starts and defensive holes will be exploited. Paul expects Taira to win by submission or decision.
The MMA Guru picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his superior grappling and reach advantage. He notes Taira's ability to secure dominant positions and improved ground and pound. He believes Van's takedown defense against lesser grapplers won't hold up against Taira's explosive entries. He predicts a finish in the second or third round.
Zane picks Van, noting his superior striking and ability to handle takedown threats. He points out that Van has good wrestling instincts and has faced grapplers like Durden and Suraya, defending well. Zane believes Van's fight-building style will break Taira down, as Taira struggles in the pocket and relies on range. He sees Taira's only chance as a submission, but Van's defensive wrestling makes that unlikely.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Moreno | 0 | 9 of 17 | 52% | 9 of 17 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 28 of 48 | 58% | 45 of 65 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 1 | 4:27 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Moreno | 0 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 2 of 9 | 22% | 18 of 25 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 3:33 | |
| 2 | Brandon Moreno | 0 | 7 of 13 | 53% | 7 of 13 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 26 of 39 | 66% | 27 of 40 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:54 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Moreno | 9 of 17 | 52% | 8 of 14 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 7 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 28 of 48 | 58% | 23 of 42 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 7 of 19 | 2 of 4 | 19 of 25 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Moreno | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 2 of 9 | 22% | 1 of 7 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 4 | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | |
| 2 | Brandon Moreno | 7 of 13 | 53% | 6 of 10 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 7 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 26 of 39 | 66% | 22 of 35 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 7 of 15 | 1 of 1 | 18 of 23 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-142), Moreno (+120)
Round 1
Mark Smith is the referee. Taira opens up with a quick and powerful right hand in what is a largely deliberate opening minute. Taira thinks about a shot, then resets and gets reversed on his takedown attempt. Moreno is on his back with a triangle locked in early. This is bad news for Taira to be trapped in this maneuver so early in the fight. Fortunately for the Japanese prospect, Moreno doesn’t quite have the position he needs to really apply the squeeze. Taira has Moreno stacked and he lifts and slams his foe down. That might have allowed Moreno to adjust the hold and tighten it. Taira seems to be OK with a little more than a minute remaining. Taira tries to fire some punches while in the awkward position. Moreno finally loses the hold in the waning seconds. Taira grabs a front headlock and they separate before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Moreno
Round 2
Moreno pumps a jab but Taira answers with an uppercut. Moreno with a low kick and he follows that with a combination, landing a crafty lead hook. Taira drops low for a takedown, but Moreno sprawls effectively and counters. Taira doesn’t give up, and he closes the distance ands a trip takedown moments later. The Japanese prospect takes the back, locks in a body triangle and begins to tee off with ground-and-pound from back control. Taira flattens the former champ out and continues to unload with unanswered punches. Moreno is still moving from the bottom, but Smith has seen enough. As Taira tosses his mouthguard in celebration, Moreno questions if the stoppage might have been premature. It won’t matter, as Taira becomes the first person to finish Moreno in professional MMA competition.
The Official Result
Tatsuro Taira def. Brandon Moreno via TKO (Punches) R2 2:24
Angelo picks Brandon Moreno, citing his experience, well-rounded skills, and relentless pace. He believes Moreno's striking will be a problem for Taira and that Taira's takedowns are not good enough to keep Moreno down. He notes that Alex Perez outstruck Taira before his knee injury. Angelo is surprised that Moreno is an underdog and considers betting if the odds become favorable.
Big Brady picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his elite grappling and control, and believes he will take Moreno down and win rounds. He acknowledges Moreno's striking advantage but expects Taira's takedowns to be decisive. He predicts Taira wins by decision.
Cody picks Moreno, highlighting his experience, durability, and scrambling ability. He notes that Moreno has never been finished as a pro and has fought the best in the division. He believes Taira is not a refined product and relies on getting the back, which Moreno's scrambling will neutralize. He expects Moreno to outwork Taira and win by decision.
Connor picks Moreno, citing his experience and technical edge. He notes that Taira struggles to set up takedowns and relies on opponents overextending, while Moreno has strong wrestling defense and can hit his own takedowns. Connor acknowledges that Moreno sometimes fights stupidly, but even then he has a good chance. He believes Moreno's methodical pressure and straight punches will be effective against Taira's limited striking arsenal.
Daniel picks Taira, impressed by his back-taking ability and heart shown in the Royval fight. He believes Taira's grappling is elite and that Moreno may struggle with it, similar to how Pantoja took Moreno's back. He sees Taira's standup improving and thinks he can win a competitive fight, possibly by controlling rounds with back takes.
Lucrative James favors Moreno on the feet and believes his takedown defense is better than Brandon Royval's, which will help him avoid Taira's grappling. He notes Moreno's preparation with Mikey Musumeci and thinks Moreno's experience in five-round fights gives him an edge in a three-round contest. He expects a close split decision but picks Moreno to edge it.
The host believes Taira will continue his winning ways by putting Moreno in bad positions. He notes that Moreno is not as good a scrambler as Brandon Royval, which will keep him in bad positions for at least two rounds, allowing Taira to win on the scorecards.
Paul agrees with Cody, citing Moreno's advantages in striking, experience, durability, and cardio. He notes that Taira's only top-tier fight was against Brandon Royval, where he lost and was outstruck. He believes Moreno's leg kicks and scrambling will be key, and he picks Moreno by decision.
The Guru picks Tatsuro Taira over Brandon Moreno, citing Taira's back-taking ability and Moreno's recent decline. He notes Taira's grappling and range striking will be effective in a three-round fight. The Guru predicts a 29-28 decision win for Taira.
Zane also picks Moreno, emphasizing that Taira's takedown entries are telegraphed and that Moreno's wrestling is far superior to Royval's, who still managed to defend takedowns. He notes that Taira's striking is limited to a 1-2 with occasional kicks, while Moreno can apply pressure from range. Zane worries about Moreno's tendency to fight recklessly but believes his advantages in experience and grappling outweigh that risk.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 1 | 7 of 11 | 63% | 13 of 20 | 4 of 5 | 80% | 1 | 0 | 4:41 |
| Park Hyun-sung | 0 | 3 of 9 | 33% | 15 of 21 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 1 | 6 of 9 | 66% | 12 of 18 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:56 |
| Park Hyun-sung | 0 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 14 of 17 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 of 2 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 | 0 | 0:45 |
| Park Hyun-sung | 0 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 7 of 11 | 63% | 6 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 |
| Park Hyun-sung | 3 of 9 | 33% | 1 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 7 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 6 of 9 | 66% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 |
| Park Hyun-sung | 2 of 5 | 40% | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Park Hyun-sung | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Connor sees Taira as a developing fighter who has improved his striking, footwork, and clinch work. He believes Taira's reach, submission grappling, and ability to punish opponents at range will be too much for Park, especially on short notice. He notes Park's style relies on bullying smaller opponents, which won't work against Taira's size and skill.
Lucrative James sees Tatsuro Taira as the superior grappler with better back-taking ability and transitions. He notes Taira's impressive performance against Brandon Royval despite the loss, showing heart, cardio, and grappling skill. He believes Taira's youth and training at High Altitude with Cory Sandhagen will lead to improvement. He expects Taira to eventually take Albazi's back and secure a submission in the later rounds, as Albazi has shown vulnerability when giving up his neck or back. He also questions the quality of Albazi's wins, calling his win over Kai Kara-France a robbery.
Zane acknowledges Park's pressure striking and combination punching could trouble Taira, but believes Taira's improved distance management and counter-striking will allow him to punish Park's entries. He notes Park's tendency to fall into grappling exchanges, where Taira is superior. Zane concludes that Park's style is made to take advantage of lesser athletes, and Taira is not that.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Royval | 0 | 124 of 232 | 53% | 172 of 287 | 3 of 3 | 100% | 3 | 2 | 2:23 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 42 of 99 | 42% | 80 of 143 | 6 of 15 | 40% | 1 | 0 | 12:13 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 17 of 55 | 30% | 17 of 55 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 10 of 22 | 45% | 11 of 24 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 | |
| 2 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 3 of 14 | 21% | 11 of 22 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 5 of 7 | 71% | 29 of 34 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:10 | |
| 3 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 56 of 78 | 71% | 81 of 105 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 0:57 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 5 of 21 | 23% | 7 of 23 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1:45 | |
| 4 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 5 of 11 | 45% | 6 of 12 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 8 of 13 | 61% | 18 of 25 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 4:29 | |
| 5 | Brandon Royval | 0 | 43 of 74 | 58% | 57 of 93 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 2 | 2 | 1:26 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 14 of 36 | 38% | 15 of 37 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 1:05 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Royval | 124 of 232 | 53% | 114 of 216 | 10 of 16 | 0 of 0 | 97 of 203 | 11 of 12 | 16 of 17 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 42 of 99 | 42% | 34 of 91 | 5 of 5 | 3 of 3 | 38 of 93 | 0 of 1 | 4 of 5 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Royval | 17 of 55 | 30% | 12 of 46 | 5 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 54 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 10 of 22 | 45% | 6 of 18 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Brandon Royval | 3 of 14 | 21% | 1 of 11 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 14 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 5 of 7 | 71% | 4 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | |
| 3 | Brandon Royval | 56 of 78 | 71% | 54 of 76 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 32 of 52 | 9 of 10 | 15 of 16 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 5 of 21 | 23% | 5 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 20 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Brandon Royval | 5 of 11 | 45% | 4 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 8 of 13 | 61% | 7 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 4 | |
| 5 | Brandon Royval | 43 of 74 | 58% | 43 of 73 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 41 of 72 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 |
| Tatsuro Taira | 14 of 36 | 38% | 12 of 34 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 14 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-225), Royval (+185)
Round 1
The UFC has chosen well with this all-action flyweight scrap capping off the fight card. Fresh off a revenge win over Brandon Moreno, Royval (16-7, 6-3 UFC) is energized and fully capable of playing spoiler. Taira (16-0, 6-0 UFC) has yet to taste defeat, and his performances continue to dazzle as he works his way up the 125-pound ladder. The two are brought to the middle of the cage by referee Jason Herzog for final instructions, and they gladly bump fists before madness ensues. It’s on with the show. Royval hops in and out searching for an early jab, and he pitches out a high kick to further gauge his range. Royval has another head kick miss, and Taira tests his mettle with a light low kick. Royval connects with a body kick, and Taira changes levels on him. Royval defends with a guillotine choke, and he breaks free of the attempt with his back bouncing off the wall. Royval walks through a right hand to get off his own, and his subsequent head kick efforts continue missing. A straight left from Royval reddens the Japanese fighter’s nose, and he catches Taira coming in with another left hand. Royval kicks the body and spins around, with Taira getting off a right hand. Royval scores another body kick that does not get caught, and he snaps out a one-two to get Taira’s attention. Royval clubs his foe with a left hand, and he gets off another in short order before dancing away to a safe distance. Royval measures and clubs Taira once more with a left, having found its range with it and a body kick. Taira bends over and gets his hair buzzed with a back fist. Two more body kicks from Royval get through, and his jab splits the guard. Taira walks into a pair of punches, and he makes Royval stumble with a short combo and grabs hold of Royval from behind to drag him to the floor. Royval attacks a kneebar as soon as he hits a mat, and he transitions into a heel hook and tugs on it from the other side for an inverted variety. Taira turns but cannot get out of the leg danger, as Royval commits to it by rolling over. Taira slithers away from the submission, and Royval breaks free and darts after him with long punches before the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Round 2
Royval is right in the center of the cage ready to pick up where he left off, and his long punches lead to a step-in knee. Taira threatens with a double, scooping Royval up and pushing off the fence to drag Royval down and take his back. Taira flattens Royval out for a moment, but Royval is a scrambler and he keeps moving any direction he can. Taira secures the body triangle to stifle the former title challenger’s escape attempts, and he slides over to take mount before stretching Royval out further. Royval scoots his way to put the wall behind him, with Taira sitting up and the leg grip still around his waist. Royval hand-fights to defend from a submission, and Taira looks to isolate a choke. Royval rolls over, turning twice until he grabs hold of Taira’s knee to spin him around. Taira further maintains control from behind, with Royval’s efforts in vain. Royval is warned for grabbing the inside of the glove, and Taira sells out for a rear-naked choke. Taira turns to the other side to further sneak it in, and Royval is able to stop these attempts for the time being. Royval sits back down with Taira holding an unorthodox grip around his shoulder, and he uses it to put Royval on his back and reassume mount. Royval spins around to escape the first bad position, and Taira deftly slides through to get his back and shut Royval down by getting in half guard. Royval attacks a leglock, forcing Taira to stand up and pull his leg away. Royval works back to his feet in the waning seconds, and one body kick is all he gets off before the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 3
Fists are bumped to get going, and a more tentative Royval gets countered over the top with a left hand. Taira reaches him with another left hook over the top, and Royval slugs him in the chops with a right hand. A straight left from Royval finds its home on the jaw, and he lands another few punches and a knee when Taira shoots for a takedown. Royval defends the double with several elbows to the side of the head, and he stands Taira up with a sharp knee. Royval breaks out of the attempt and goes wild with a flurry of strikes, shaking Taira up briefly. Taira’s recoverability is excellent, as he does not back up and instead stays just out of range. Royval bears down on him with a long left and an uppercut, and his uppercut clips Taira again when Taira tries to strike back. Royval gets energized by landing flush, hurting Taira with a flurry of fists. Taira shoots desperately for a takedown when he gets hurt with a salvo from “Raw Dawg.” Taira’s takedown is used against him, as Royval throws him to the mat and works on him with hammerfists. Royval thwarts another attempt, and Taira is fading fast as the woodchipper in Royval is on him chewing him up with punches and knees. Taira goes after another takedown, and it is not effective as he ducks face-first into a clean knee. Taira drops to the mat, and Royval follows him and beats on him with hammerfists on either side of the head. Taira tries to move, and Royval circles around to take Taira’s back and get hooks in. Royval searches for an armbar, rolling to his bell to lock it down, and Taira miraculously fights his way out of the sub and turns Royval around to get his back. Taira fastens the body triangle and starts hunting for his own submission. A rear-naked choke from the Japanese youngster sneaks around the jaw of his foe, and Royval decides to punch instead of fighting the hands. Royval grits it out and survives to the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Royval
Round 4
Royval is fired up after his corner very loudly and dramatically informs him that he needs to crush this kid. Taira is not about to go down lightly, and the two flyweights meet in the center of the cage and trade hands violently. When Taira gets stung, he shoots in for a takedown. Royval balances thanks in part to a fence grab, although Taira still wrests him to the mat. Taira gets his hooks in and locks down the body triangle, with Royval pulling off the fence to try to spin himself about. Taira hunts for a choke, and Royval fights the body lock and turns to his knees. Taira’s body lock remains firmly around the midsection even sitting upright, and Royval rolls but is still snared in the web. Taira softens him up from behind with punches as Royval keeps turning, and he lands an elbow as he moves from position to position. When absorbing one particularly fierce elbow, Royval turns to his stomach, and he uses two-on-one control to wriggle himself out. Taira’s savvy back control further nullifies “Raw Dawg,” and he lets Royval roll to his back to get the body triangle again. Royval fights it off on one side, but Taira fastens it on the other. When the 10-second clapper sounds, Royval sits up and is near to escape, but time expires before he can. It could be all tied up now.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 5
With five minutes left in the fight very likely even on the scorecards, Royval strikes first in the final round. Connecting with four or five early punches, Royval is forced to sprawl to stop a level change. Taira walks into a few punches after Royval stands up, and he reaches with a right but gets clubbed with an uppercut. Royval reaches out with a left hand, and he snipes Taira coming in with a few punches. Royval eats a pair of lefts to get driven back, and he slips in an uppercut. Taira swings a right hand into a takedown, and he puts Royval on his seat with three and a half minutes left in the round. Taira moves to north-south position with Royval pushing his heels off the fence to flip around. Taira nearly gets the back, but Royval reverses the position and pursues his own takedown to place Taira on his seat. Royval holds on from behind as Taira stands, and he elevates and slams the Japanese fighter down. Royval jumps on the back as Taira gets to his feet again, and slides off in a hurry. Taira breaks the grip and separates, and Royval walks him down and bloodies his foe’s nose. Taira loads up on power strikes, and Royval’s straight left remains a money punch. Royval seems to land cleanly whenever he wishes, and Taira dives after a desperate single but Royval stops it and knees his foe in the chest. Royval breaks free again and rails Taira with a step-in knee, and Taira knocks him back with a big right hand. Royval gets back in his face with a series of punches, and he gets pushed over when spinning back. Taira shoots for a double, and Royval jumps guard with a guillotine choke that he uses to roll into full mount. Royval sits up and lets Taira turn over to take his back, and he snatches up a rear-naked choke. Royval gets the body triangle at the same time, and he cranks on the neck. The neck crank does not get a tap, and tough as nails Taira survives to turn himself over. The final horn blares, and this back-and-forth battle comes to a close in an easy “Fight of the Night” candidate and one possibly worthy of “Fight of the Year” consideration. No matter who picks up the win, these two put on a show and stamp their places in the elite echelon of the 125-pound division.
Springing the upset, Royval showers his defeated opponent with compliments, while saying that he would be happy to do anything to further Taira’s career—a fighter that he confidently proclaims will be a champion one day. Royval states he alone deserves the next title shot at flyweight, due to wins over top-five talents Brandon Moreno, Kai Kara-France and now Taira. He asks to be backup for the Alexandre Pantoja-Kai Asakura championship bout, or offers to fight in hostile territory to beat either man in their home country after UFC 310. If he gets the next crack at gold, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Royval (48-47 Royval)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Royval (48-47 Royval)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Royval (48-47 Royval)
The Official Result
Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira via Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
Angelo picks Brandon Royval, calling himself a Tatsuro Taira hater. He notes that Taira is undefeated but hasn't beaten top competition, and that Royval's pressure and experience will be too much. He mentions Royval's win over Brandon Moreno and his ability to land strikes even when taken down. Angelo bet half a unit on Royval at +170 and is also considering a plus 5.5 bet.
Big Brady picks Tatsuro Taira to win by decision. He notes that if it were a three-round fight, he'd be more confident, but the five rounds give him pause due to Royval's elite cardio and durability. However, Royval has terrible takedown defense (40%), and Taira's grappling control is elite. He compares it to Royval's fight with Pantoja, where Pantoja controlled him on the ground. Brady believes Taira can get takedowns at will and control rounds, though rounds 4-5 could get interesting. He expects Taira to win at least three rounds.
Cody believes Taira is a believer after his performance against Royval, showing improved striking, timing, physicality, and elite grappling. He notes Taira's ability to take down Royval six times and control him, despite Royval's scrambling and cardio. Cody sees Taira as more polished and refined than Park, with five-round experience and superior competition level. He expects Taira to roll through Park.
Connor agrees with Zane, emphasizing that Royval's defensive wrestling is nonexistent and that Taira's grappling is a huge advantage. He notes that Royval's recent striking approach is static and ineffective, and that Taira should be able to take him down and control the fight. Connor is confident Taira wins unless he fights poorly.
Daniel acknowledges Taira's immense talent and undefeated record but questions if he's ready for a top-five test at age 24. He notes Royval's proven durability, pace, and experience against elite competition like Moreno and Pantoja. Daniel is tempted by the plus-190 odds on Royval and believes Taira may need to pay his dues first. He emphasizes that Royval gets better as fights progress and that Taira hasn't faced anyone with Royval's relentless pressure.
The host looked for a reason to take Royval as a big underdog but couldn't due to Taira's control and grappling. Royval is more disciplined but will struggle when Taira crashes the pocket and wraps him up. The host is not super high on Taira's chalk and prefers the over 3.5 rounds, but expects Taira to control the majority of the fight via grappling and win on the scorecards.
Paul agrees with Cody, noting Taira's striking improvement and elite grappling. He highlights Taira's ability to get to the back and control opponents, and his five-round experience against top competition. Paul thinks Taira wins more often than not even at a sizable favorite price.
The MMA Guru picks Brandon Royval as an upset, citing his scrambling ability, pressure, and durability. He questions Taira's hype, noting close fights with Perez and Shevchenko, and believes Royval can make Taira break in a five-round fight. He expects Royval to win by late-round TKO, as Taira hasn't faced someone as lanky and rangy, and Royval has shown he can hang with top flyweights like Pantoja and Moreno.
Zane picks Taira because Royval's defensive wrestling is terrible and Taira is a good takedown artist with dangerous ground control. He notes that Royval's striking volume is often ineffective and that Taira can find takedowns consistently. Zane believes Royval's only path is if Taira fights terribly, but otherwise Taira should win.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 41 of 77 | 53% | 45 of 81 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:24 |
| Alex Perez | 0 | 31 of 66 | 46% | 43 of 78 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:48 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 23 of 43 | 53% | 27 of 47 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:24 |
| Alex Perez | 0 | 17 of 43 | 39% | 18 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 18 of 34 | 52% | 18 of 34 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Alex Perez | 0 | 14 of 23 | 60% | 25 of 34 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:48 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 41 of 77 | 53% | 22 of 49 | 10 of 13 | 9 of 15 | 31 of 64 | 10 of 13 | 0 of 0 |
| Alex Perez | 31 of 66 | 46% | 25 of 57 | 2 of 4 | 4 of 5 | 28 of 59 | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 23 of 43 | 53% | 9 of 23 | 9 of 12 | 5 of 8 | 16 of 34 | 7 of 9 | 0 of 0 |
| Alex Perez | 17 of 43 | 39% | 14 of 38 | 2 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 14 of 36 | 3 of 7 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 18 of 34 | 52% | 13 of 26 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 7 | 15 of 30 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Alex Perez | 14 of 23 | 60% | 11 of 19 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 3 | 14 of 23 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-185), Perez (+154)
Round 1
The final fight of the evening comes in a rare non-title flyweight tilt, with former title challenger Perez (25-8, 7-4 UFC) coming in on short notice. He will try to hand high-flying unbeaten Japanese contender Taira (15-0, 5-0 UFC) his first pro loss. Action is sure to come from these two fighters, but before it does, they come together in front of referee Herb Dean to hear their final instructions and bump fists. It’s on with the show. While Taira is in the center of the cage, he steps back when a leg kick flies by. He throws one back, and Perez targets his front leg once more. The former title challenger goes after one more kick, and the two end up closed in on one another. Taira tries to set up the Thai clinch, and Perez dirty boxes and fights off level changes until he can break away. Perez sneaks in a knee on the break, and he digs several punches to the body. Taira pushes him away and lines up a power right hand, and Perez ducks and thwacks his front leg wither another two kicks. Taira splits the guard with two punches, and Perez darts at him with three punches, landing the third of them. Taira sticks out a jab and a head kick, and Perez rings his bell with two compact hooks. Perez again crowds him throwing bombs, and Taira gets his head knocked around briefly before disengaging. Taira settles down and jabs a few times, but Perez blasts with a number of uppercuts. Taira aims a knee to the head to break off the clinch, and he keeps his jab flowing. Taira follows one jab with a right hand, and he dodges the counter one-two. Taira rails his man with a sharp uppercut, and he finds another as Perez backpedals. Taira slaps the front leg with a kick, and Perez returns fire with one before charging in to tie him up. Taira cannot hold on, and Perez escapes and darts forward with his hands flying. Taira pushes off and swipes his fingers into the Californian’s eye, and Dean calls time. Perez uses a cloth brought in from the doctor to wipe his eye clean, and Dean goes over to warn Taira. After about a minute, Perez is good to go. Perez swings hard with punches to the body and scoops the Japanese fighter up to dump him on the floor. Taira attempts to sweep, but he settles for standing up and getting away. Perez pushes out a front kick and dodges a head kick as the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Perez
Round 2
Perez rushes out of his corner to invite a glove touch, and it is accepted as Dean warns Taira for outstretched fingers. Perez swings wildly with wide punches, and Taira spins him around with a leg kick. Taira snipes him on the way in with a right hand, and he appears to push off and poke the eye again. Perez complains it was a foul, and Dean calls time and asks for replay to check it. The replay shows the eye poke, and Dean goes over to Taira to give him a hard warning. They start up after around 45 seconds, and Perez re-measures his jab. Taira holds his left hand out and blasts the former title challenger with an uppercut, but Perez pays it no mind and unleashes a series of haymakers to knock Taira back. Taira scores a low kick and lands with his own heavy blows, but Perez lands the heavier of the two and it shows by Taira’s face changing shade. Perez works on the front leg with kicks on the inside and out, and Perez gets stood up on the way back with one coming back his direction. Perez shrugs off an uppercut to lob bombs, and he catches Taira flush and lets the counters graze his cheeks. Taira rushes at him and takes the fight down, and as soon as Perez turns, Taira takes his back while standing. Taira leans to one side in hopes of wrenching Perez down, and he keeps the body triangle tight while softening Perez up.
Taira keeps leaning to one side to tug Perez off-balance, and Perez falls awkwardly when leaning back. As he does, Perez’ right knee figuratively explodes, and Perez lets out a screech of pain as Taira is on top of him. Perez taps the canvas to make sure that Dean is getting involved, and Taira dismounts him and looks on with concern. Perez rolls to his back and writhes in agony, clutching his damaged limb as medical professionals swarm him.
This is an unusual situation because it is not simply a freak occurrence from a strange landing, but rather something Taira set up to target one leg and drag him down in that specific angle. Whether he was intending on causing fight-ending injury or simply moving to a more dominant position, it worked, and Taira moves his stellar undefeated record to 16-0 while passing the largest test of his career. The victorious youngster from Japan shouts on the interview that he is very happy, and he asks for a title shot. He confidently declares that he wants everyone in the flyweight division to line up in front of him, and he will mow them down. When Taira gets back into the cage again, it will likely be in a huge fight at 125 pounds. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.
The Official Result
Tatsuro Taira def. Alex Perez R2 2:59 via TKO (Knee Injury)
Angelo picks Alex Perez as an underdog, arguing that Perez has shown he can defend takedowns against elite wrestlers like Muhammad Mokaev. He believes Taira's takedowns are not as good, and Perez has the striking advantage. He notes Perez's recent knockout win and experience. He thinks the plus 170 odds offer value and plans to place a bet.
Cody picks Alex Perez as a plus money underdog, arguing that flyweight fights are always close and Perez is a veteran with a wrestling base, BJJ black belt, and decent striking. He highlights Perez's 82% takedown defense and notes that Taira's wrestling is not good enough to take him down. Cody also points out that Taira struggled with Edgar Chairez, got dropped, and showed questionable cardio, which could be a problem in a five-round fight. He believes Perez's experience and power will take over as the fight goes on.
Daniel Vreeland acknowledges Alex Perez's resurgence and boxing/wrestling advantages but leans toward Taira due to his youth, reach, defensive striking, and opportunistic finishing ability. He notes Taira's incremental development and believes he can get past Perez, possibly by submission. However, he admits it could be a vet lesson and is not fully confident.
Jacob picks Tatsuro Taira, arguing that Perez has been outgrappled by top competition and Taira is more well-rounded than Mokaev. He believes Taira's striking and grappling are superior, and he will set up takedowns with strikes. He thinks Perez's takedown defense won't hold up and Taira will submit him. He is confident and offers to bet openly.
Perez's defensive grappling will shut down Taira's wrestling, which I'm not sold on. In the striking, Perez will dictate the pace with calf kicks to slow Taira and then open up his hands, finishing Taira in the third or fourth round.
Paul agrees with Cody, stating that Taira is a prospect who may look like a stud one day but the level of competition Perez has faced is far superior. He notes that Perez has been fighting the best in the division for years and is a big-time gatekeeper. Paul acknowledges the risk of Taira getting takedowns and taking the back, but he is still with Cody on betting Alex Perez.
The MMA Guru picks Tatsuro Taira by TKO. He believes Taira is better technically on the feet than Muhammad Mokaev, and that his grappling is more opportunistic and technical. He notes Taira's ability to take the back, reverse positions, and his good right hand. He thinks Perez may crumble under pressure and that Taira's youth and improvement over his career, plus having more notice for this fight, will lead to a finish. He also mentions the narrative of Taira opening doors for Japanese MMA.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 1 | 33 of 43 | 76% | 44 of 60 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 3:36 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 0 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:53 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 12 of 19 | 63% | 20 of 29 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 3:21 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 0 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:53 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 1 | 21 of 24 | 87% | 24 of 31 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:15 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 0 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 33 of 43 | 76% | 30 of 40 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 7 of 8 | 0 of 1 | 26 of 34 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 2 of 4 | 50% | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 12 of 19 | 63% | 12 of 19 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 12 of 17 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 21 of 24 | 87% | 18 of 21 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 2 | 7 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 14 of 17 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 2 of 3 | 66% | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-410), Hernandez (+320)
Round 1
Buried on the prelims is a young man fast on the rise, as 23-year-old Japanese prospect Taira (14-0, 4-0 UFC) looks for win no. 15 at the expense of the speedy Hernandez (9-2, 2-1 UFC). The latter recently picked up a win in June when a slam knockout ended up overturned to a decision thanks to an inadvertent clash of heads on the way down. The third man in the Octagon will be referee Mark Smith, and he kicks off the fight as the 125ers touch gloves. Hernandez is the initial aggressor, pushing the action at least from a movement standpoint. Neither man commit to a strike in the first 30 seconds, until Hernandez paws out with a left hand that sneaks around the guard. Taira responds with a front kick, and Hernandez chases him to the ground. Taira immediately sweeps his opponent, and the resulting wild scramble results in both men getting back to their feet. Hernandez pushes the Japanese fighter against the wall, and he lifts Taira up and attempts to slam him down. Instead, Taira positions himself midair to shift his body weight, and he pushes Hernandez over and lands on top of him. Taira steps over to three-quarter mount briefly, but remains comfortable in half guard so he can control and land sporadic left hands or an elbow. Taira jumps over to full mount, and he looks to hook his left arm around the side of the head while lacing Hernandez’ legs between his own. Taira bails on the arm-triangle choke setup so he can posture up and land shots from on top. Hernandez turns over, and Taira flattens him out and starts fishing for a submission. When that does not come, he starts laying into Hernandez with his fists. Hernandez turns about again, giving up his back, and Taira follows him every step of the way and looks to fasten in a rear-naked choke grip. Hernandez defends it and continues twisting himself around, and Taira drills him with punches any time he has an opening. Taira sits up and blasts Hernandez in the face with an emphatic right hand, and he rides out the remainder of the round on top and lands one more right hand.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 2
The flyweights come together, and Hernandez is again the first to push the pace. Taira smacks him in the temple with a left hand, and he follows with a calf kick. Taira rifles a straight right hand down the pipe, rocking Hernandez down to his core, and
he strings together a chain of punches until Hernandez crumbles to the mat. Taira follows him down, continuing his bombardment of strikes, and Hernandez turtles up on his knees, barely still with it. Smith watches on as Taira beats on him, and he determines that Hernandez is no longer in the fight and waves it off.
This is a big win for Taira, who records his first career knockout in years by lifting himself to a perfect 15-0 as a pro.
The Official Result
Tatsuro Taira def. Carlos Hernandez R2 0:55 via TKO (Punches)
Cody picks Tatsuro Taira. He notes that Taira is a legitimate prospect with excellent back-taking skills. Cody points out that Hernandez has poor takedown defense and gives up his back. He thinks Taira will bait Hernandez in, shoot for a takedown, take the back, and sink in a rear-naked choke. Cody acknowledges that Taira will eventually face a tough wrestler but believes Hernandez is not that guy.
Paul picks Tatsuro Taira. He notes that Hernandez's grappling is solid but not elite, and he was submitted quickly by Alan Nascimento. Paul thinks Taira is systematic in getting to the back and finding the choke. He is interested in Taira by submission at plus 120 but is a bit concerned about Hernandez's ability to survive the full 15 minutes. Overall, Paul expects Taira to win by submission.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 61 of 78 | 78% | 121 of 148 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 | 1 | 9:53 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 1 | 25 of 38 | 65% | 26 of 39 | 0 of 0 | --- | 2 | 1 | 0:25 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 27 of 30 | 90% | 36 of 39 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 2:43 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 1 | 6 of 10 | 60% | 6 of 10 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:11 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 17 of 26 | 65% | 57 of 76 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 4:10 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 0 | 4 of 7 | 57% | 5 of 8 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:14 | |
| 3 | Tatsuro Taira | 0 | 17 of 22 | 77% | 28 of 33 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 3:00 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 0 | 15 of 21 | 71% | 15 of 21 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 1 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatsuro Taira | 61 of 78 | 78% | 40 of 54 | 2 of 4 | 19 of 20 | 26 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 35 of 42 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 25 of 38 | 65% | 15 of 23 | 5 of 6 | 5 of 9 | 25 of 38 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatsuro Taira | 27 of 30 | 90% | 18 of 18 | 0 of 2 | 9 of 10 | 11 of 14 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 16 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 6 of 10 | 60% | 2 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 | 6 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Tatsuro Taira | 17 of 26 | 65% | 16 of 25 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 22 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 4 of 7 | 57% | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 | 4 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Tatsuro Taira | 17 of 22 | 77% | 6 of 11 | 2 of 2 | 9 of 9 | 14 of 18 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 4 |
| Édgar Cháirez | 15 of 21 | 71% | 10 of 14 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 2 | 15 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Taira (-950), Chairez (+650)
Round 1
Thanks in part to some late card rejiggering, highly regarded prospect Taira (13-0, 3-0 UFC) moves his way up the billing. Originally planning on meeting Kleydson Rodrigues, the Japanese prodigy now faces late replacement Chairez (10-4, 0-0 UFC) out of Mexico. The match will take place at a pre-planned 130-pound catchweight, and it will be overseen by referee Herb Dean. It begins with a half-hearted reach of a glove touch try from Chairez, and Taira ignores it so he can get offense going in the form of a chopping leg kick. Chairez gives it back, and chants of “Mexico” rain down in support of the debuting Chairez. Chairez comes up short on another attempt, and he is reached by the man from Japan. The action is largely muted other than occasional kicks from both fighters, with Taira working from both legs. Chairez steps in with a jab as Taira crashes towards him, and when Taira backs off, he continues bludgeoning the lead wheel of his opponent. Taira jabs to force Chairez to backpedal, and he gets kicked off his feet by the Mexican. Chairez gets off a body shot, and he tags Taira with a left hand. Taira wobbles to his seat, and he recovers and moves over to tackle Chairez over to gather himself. Chairez grips hold of a guillotine choke, and it is tight until Taira settles down and drives Chairez back to the corner between the floor and the wall. This allows Taira to threaten with a Von Preux choke, as he keeps Chairez stuck in a bad position. Chairez recognizes the danger, and he releases the grip. Taira slowly and methodically works to pass guard, and Chairez is warned for interlocking his toes in the cage to stifle the pass. Dean slaps and pulls Chairez’ toes out of the links, and he keeps warning Chairez for doing it repeatedly. This foul gets called a few times, but as he is focused on tugging on the links with his big toe, Taira sits on top of him and isolates his left arm to set up a crucifix. Taira elbows Chairez several times, and he is admonished for the angle he uses of the 12-to-6 variety. Taira looks up confusedly at Dean, and he changes his angle of attack until the close round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Chairez
Round 2
The second round begins with the two combatants getting off kicks on one another. Taira changes levels and shoots in for a takedown, and Chairez jumps guard to grab hold of a guillotine choke. The Japanese fighter easily slides his neck out of the choke, where he moves right to half guard and even takes mount briefly before getting bucked back to guard. Chairez shifts his hips, and Taira times it perfectly to move right into mount. Taira smothers his foe when he willingly moves back to half guard, doing so to pin Chairez down. Taira elbows Chairez on the side of the head with light but effective blows, and he hooks his legs together in an effort to trap Chairez’ right arm. Taira continues working with elbows before transitioning to a straight armlock from the other side of the body. Taira, who steps back into mount, postures up to rain down punches and elbows. With 80 seconds to spare, he hammers Chairez with strikes until Chairez turns and almost gives up his back. Taira slashes down with elbows, hurting his opponent, and he calmly lands strikes from a dominant position. Taira considers an arm-triangle choke, and Chairez sits up and wraps his arms around Taira’s waist to hang on. Taira rolls to his back to lock down a triangle choke, and he elbows Chairez on the dome and tightens it up. Pulling the head down to cut off the blood flow to the brain and hopefully deprive his man of oxygen as well, Taira tries with all his might but cannot get the tap before the bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Taira
Round 3
The last frame kicks off with kicks. Taira wades his way into a striking exchange, and he gets backed off with a left hand. Taira checks a low kick and throws it back. A right hand from the Japanese fighter sneaks over the guard, and Chairez slings a few punches back his direction much to the delight of the crowd. The undefeated fighter pecks at Chairez with leg kicks, and he ducks a looping left hook in the nick of time. Chairez reaches out with a one-two and a subsequent jab, and he shrugs off a body kick. Taira shoots in for a double-leg takedown, and he plants Chairez on his back without Chairez hunting for a guillotine this time. Taira uses shoulder pressure while in half guard to keep Chairez flat on his back, and he elbows his foe on the ear. Taira grinds his elbow on the forehead and forearm on the throat, as he settles for control over offense as the clock keeps ticking. Fans grow restless as Taira clings to top position, even when he lands the occasional elbow. Taira threatens with a guillotine when Chairez sits up, and Chairez is able to fight it off and get back to his feet. Taira goes after a double, and Chairez pulls guard for a guillotine. Chairez locks his feet together and squeezes with every bit of energy he has left, and he rolls over to secure the mounted guillotine choke. Taira toughs it out, with no plan of tapping out no matter how bad it gets, and time expires before the submission puts him out. The scorecards could be all over the map for this one, depending on the potential assessment of a 10-8 in Round 2 and how the first stanza panned out.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Taira (30-27 Taira)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Chairez (29-28 Taira)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Taira (29-28 Taira)
The Official Result
Tatsuro Taira def. Edgar Chairez via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Angelo gives a slight lean to Taira at 50.1%, but he actually bet on Cháirez at +600. He acknowledges Cháirez's solid striking, takedowns, and BJJ, but worries about short notice. He sees Taira's path to victory through grappling and control, but thinks Cháirez is just as dangerous on the ground. The lean is extremely slight, and he encourages viewers to watch tape on Cháirez.
Big Brady picks Tatsuro Taira to win by submission in the second round. He notes that Taira is a well-rounded fighter with underrated striking and slick grappling, especially back takes and submissions. He believes Cháirez will slow down as the fight goes on, leading to a finish in the second or third round. He mentions that Cháirez has been submitted before by Jesus Aguilar, whom Taira beat in the first round.
Cody is confident Taira wins but the price is unplayable. He thinks Taira will likely finish Cháirez in the first or second round via submission. He notes Taira's back-taking and submission skills are elite. He considers the under 1.5 rounds at -145 but isn't in love with it because Taira may be patient.
Connor picks Taira because he is a great problem solver who starts fights passively but uses opponent aggression to set up takedowns and submissions. Cháirez is a wild, aggressive fighter who will likely come forward, and Taira excels at countering that aggression. Taira's ability to blast opponents off their feet when pressured makes him a clear winner.
Daniel Levi picks Taira, calling him one of the best Japanese prospects he has ever seen. He praises Taira's ground game, composure, and ability to chain striking to takedowns. Levi respects Cháirez's toughness and his controversial win on Fury FC, but believes Taira's ceiling is much higher and that he is headed straight for the top 15. He notes that the minus-1100 price is prohibitive for betting but still picks Taira to win.
James does not make a clear pick on the winner. He disagrees with Taira being a -1000 favorite, capping him around -500 to -600, but does not see enough value on Cháirez at plus money. He discusses props: he likes Taira by decision at +500 more than the submission prop at -200 to -250, and also considers the KO prop at +700. He ultimately passes on betting the fight due to lack of a strong read.
Taira is a skilled Japanese prospect with a strong submission game, especially the rear-naked choke. Cháirez is aggressive and flashy but will likely be taken down and submitted. The fight should be closer than the odds suggest, but Taira will eventually secure a submission victory.
Paul agrees Taira wins easily. He notes Cháirez is a short-notice replacement with no clear path to victory. He thinks Taira's grappling is far superior. He says the real question is how quickly Taira finishes, possibly in the first or second round.
The MMA Guru picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his patient top grappling and submission threat. He notes that Cháirez was taken down by Clayton Carpenter on the contender series, and believes Taira's methodical style will lead to a submission. He acknowledges Cháirez's momentum but sees Taira as a different level of grappler.
Zane picks Taira because he is a great problem solver who can take whatever Cháirez gives him and turn it into an advantage. Cháirez is overly aggressive and will likely come forward, which plays into Taira's takedown and positional grappling game. Taira is a huge favorite and should be able to submit Cháirez if he gets taken down.
Expert Picks (14)
Angelo picks Joshua Van, citing his incredible volume and takedown defense. He believes Van's striking will be too much for Taira, similar to how Royval beat Taira with volume. He notes that Van doesn't get frustrated when taken down and focuses on getting back up.
Angelo picks Joshua Van, emphasizing his striking pressure and volume. He notes Van lands a high number of strikes and has shown takedown defense against wrestlers. He thinks Taira's striking pressure is weak and Van will keep the fight standing. He expresses concern about a possible injury to Van that caused the fight to be moved, but assumes both are healthy. He compares Taira's loss to Brandon Royval as a blueprint for Van.
Big Brady picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his elite back-taking and grappling. He notes Van has been submitted before and Taira has power on the feet. Brady expects Taira to get the fight to the ground and secure a submission, specifically a second-round submission. He acknowledges Van's volume but thinks grappling will decide the fight.
Cody picks Taira, emphasizing his well-rounded skills and ability to take Van down and control him. He notes Taira's improved striking and grappling, and believes he can neutralize Van's volume by wrestling. Cody expects Taira to win by submission or decision, as Van's takedown defense is suspect.
Connor picks Van, emphasizing his faith in Van's game in Taira's area of expertise (striking) over Taira's game in Van's area. He notes Taira's lack of pocket feel, as seen against Moreno, and Van's ability to metabolize takedown threats. Connor believes Van's fight-building style will break Taira down, as Taira has no build-back plan.
Daniel picks Van, agreeing with Cody and Malcolm. He highlights Van's superior striking and ability to defend takedowns, though he notes Taira's back-taking ability and heart. Daniel is confident Van will make the fight his and Taira will have to absorb many strikes.
The host leans toward Taira but does not place a pre-fight bet. He notes Taira's superior grappling and back takes, but Van's dangerous boxing and potential cardio advantage. He prefers to live bet this fight to get more information on Van's takedown defense. He mentions Van +5.5 fight spread as interesting but holds off.
Predicted method: Submission Round 3. Taira's grappling-heavy style (3.12 takedowns per round, 1.6 submission average) poses a clear threat to Van, who has 81% takedown defense but has faced less relentless wrestlers. Van's striking volume (8.84 SLpM) is impressive, but Taira's 2.44 SApM indicates he absorbs few strikes, and his recent KO win over Brandon Moreno shows improved power. Taira's reach advantage (70" vs 65") helps him close distance for takedowns. Expect Taira to mix in takedowns, neutralize Van's striking, and secure a submission or dominant decision.
Jacob is confident in Joshua Van, praising his confidence and athleticism. He thinks Van's takedown defense and cardio will be key, and that Taira will struggle to get takedowns in later rounds. He believes Van will dominate once the takedowns stop working.
Lucrative James favors Tatsuro Taira because he believes the grappling gap is larger than the striking gap at flyweight, and submissions are more decisive than knockouts at this weight class. He notes Taira needs one moment to finish, while Van needs multiple moments. He also cites Van's high fight frequency (5 fights in 13 months) as a potential negative, and Van's chin issues. He predicts Taira by submission.
The host picks Van, believing his defensive grappling has improved enough to keep Taira from dominating. He expects Van to outstrike Taira, work the body, and win on the scorecards. He notes that Taira is dangerous early but Van's pace and striking will be too much in championship rounds.
Paul also picks Taira, citing his grappling advantage and experience in five-round fights. He thinks Taira's takedowns and control will be key, and that Van's slow starts and defensive holes will be exploited. Paul expects Taira to win by submission or decision.
The MMA Guru picks Tatsuro Taira, citing his superior grappling and reach advantage. He notes Taira's ability to secure dominant positions and improved ground and pound. He believes Van's takedown defense against lesser grapplers won't hold up against Taira's explosive entries. He predicts a finish in the second or third round.
Zane picks Van, noting his superior striking and ability to handle takedown threats. He points out that Van has good wrestling instincts and has faced grapplers like Durden and Suraya, defending well. Zane believes Van's fight-building style will break Taira down, as Taira struggles in the pocket and relies on range. He sees Taira's only chance as a submission, but Van's defensive wrestling makes that unlikely.
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