Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira have completed their first face-off ahead of their title fight at UFC 328. The staredown is part of the standard promotional activities leading up to their championship bout. The two fighters met face-to-face during UFC media events in advance of the card. UFC 328 will feature this title fight between Van and Taira on the card.
Flyweight champion Joshua Van and top-five contender Tatsuro Taira came face to face for the first time this week as part of UFC media obligations ahead of their title fight at UFC 328, scheduled for May 9, 2026.
Van, nicknamed "The Fearless," enters the bout as the reigning flyweight champion with a record of 17 wins and 2 losses. The 24-year-old from Myanmar, who trains out of 4oz. Fight Club, is one of the most prolific strikers in the division, landing an exceptional 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. The orthodox southpaw stands five-foot-five with a 65-inch reach.
Taira brings an 18-2 record into the contest and is ranked fifth in the flyweight division. The 26-year-old Japanese fighter, representing The Blackbelt Japan, is considerably larger for the weight class, measuring five-foot-seven with a 70-inch reach. His game is built around grappling rather than volume striking, averaging 3.12 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.6 submission attempts in the same span, while still posting a 60 percent striking accuracy rate on the feet.
Why it matters
- Van's elite striking output will be tested by Taira's persistent takedown pressure, setting up a genuine style clash
- A Taira victory would hand the flyweight title to Japan and push a ranked fifth contender to the top of the division
- The reach and height advantages Taira holds — five inches of reach over the champion — could be a factor in both the striking and grappling exchanges
- At just 24, Van is among the youngest champions on the roster, making this a high-stakes moment early in what could be a lengthy reign
Saturday, May 9, 2026
