UFC champ Joshua Van says Tatsuro Taira will serve as first flyweight title defense

UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van reportedly has his first title defense.

The promotion’s youngest beltholder instructed followers at a UFC Houston Q&A session Friday that he will face Tatsuro Taira subsequent. He didn’t specify when or the place the combat would happen.

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“I’m fighting Tatsuro next, bro,” Van said when asked to evaluate his potential challengers.

Van received the flyweight title at UFC 323 on Dec. 6, unseating Alexandre Pantoja via a freak accident. Van entered the bout as a big underdog, however an awkward fall in the first minute caused Pantoja to grossly dislocate his shoulder and left Van as the brand new champion regardless of touchdown solely two vital strikes.

A rematch with Pantoja, who was on top-of-the-line runs in UFC flyweight historical past, looms, nevertheless it’s unclear when the Brazilian will be in combating form once more. That left two potentialities for Van’s first defense: Taira and Manel Kape.

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Taira was probably the most telegraphed possibility, as he was conspicuously sitting subsequent to Dana White at UFC 323 throughout Van’s combat after defeating former champion Brandon Moreno. Taira holds an 18-1 file and could be the first Japanese champion in UFC historical past.

Van, the first Asian-born champion, might have additionally confronted Kape, who has received seven of his previous eight fights and final beat Brandon Royval in December. Kape shot down a false report that a title shot was in the works for him last weekendclaiming the UFC promised the spot to Taira.