Van finishes Taira in fifth, retains flyweight belt

Joshua Van defended his men’s flyweight title against Tatsuro Taira on the UFC 328 card in Newark. ESPN reported that Van survived a difficult, high-tempo fight before finishing matters in the fifth round, keeping the title in the champion’s hands. The bout matters for the division because Taira entered as a dangerous challenger and Van’s win strengthens his position at the top. The result also gives the flyweight division a clearer champion while forcing other contenders to wait for their next opening.