TLDR
- Joshua Van defends his flyweight title against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark
- Van won the championship at UFC 323 when Alexandre Pantoja suffered an arm injury 26 seconds into their fight
- Taira earned his title shot by stopping former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323
- The fight was originally scheduled for UFC 327 but was delayed due to Van’s injury
- Both fighters are 25 years old and represent a new generation in the flyweight division
Sources: MMA Junkie | MMA Fighting | ESPN MMA
UFC has confirmed that flyweight champion Joshua Van will make his first title defense against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 on May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The fight was originally scheduled for UFC 327 but was delayed due to an injury suffered by Van.
Van became the second-youngest champion in UFC history when he defeated Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323. The victory came just 26 seconds into the first round after Pantoja suffered an arm injury, ending his reign as champion with four successful title defenses.
The 16-2 fighter from Myanmar did not get the chance to showcase his full skill set against the long-reigning champion. At 25 years old, Van now faces his first test as the division’s new titleholder.
UFC 328 just got bigger: Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira is moved to the co-main, giving flyweight title action a fresh spotlight on May 9. Plus, Murzakanov vs. Costa elevates to co-main at UFC 327’s weekend. #UFC328 #UFC327 #MMANews 🥊🔥 https://t.co/unTIyYFgbP
— DP (@drippybands) April 6, 2026
Taira Earns Title Shot With Moreno Victory
Taira secured his championship opportunity with a dominant performance at UFC 323, the same event where Van won the title. The 25-year-old Japanese fighter stopped former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno with punches from back mount.
Taira was seated cageside for Van’s title-winning moment, already positioned as the next challenger. The victory over Moreno marked Taira’s eighth win in nine UFC appearances, with his only loss coming via split decision against Brandon Royval.
The Moreno win represented Taira’s biggest career victory to date. Before falling to Taira, Moreno had previously held the flyweight championship on two separate occasions.
UFC Returns to Newark for Fourth Straight Year
UFC 328 marks the fourth consecutive year the promotion has held an event at Prudential Center in Newark. The May 9 card will be the 12th UFC event overall in the New Jersey city.
The flyweight title fight serves as the co-main event for UFC 328. The card is headlined by middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev defending his title against former champion Sean Strickland.
The addition of Van vs. Taira strengthens the event’s lineup after the fight was moved back from its original date. Both fighters were healthy and ready to compete when the UFC announced the bout for UFC 328.
Van holds a professional record of 16-2, while Taira enters the championship bout with an 18-1 record. Both men are 25 years old and represent a new generation of talent in the flyweight division.
The flyweight division has seen recent turnover at the top after Pantoja’s four-fight title defense streak came to an end. Pantoja had won eight straight UFC fights dating back to 2021 before the injury loss to Van.
Other top contenders in the division include Manel Kape, who faces Kyoji Horiguchi on June 20 in a potential title eliminator. Brandon Royval, who previously challenged for the title, has lost three of his last five UFC fights.
UFC 328 takes place on May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, with the Van vs. Taira flyweight championship bout serving as the co-main event.
