Tatsuro Taira has his sights firmly set on finishing Joshua Van. The Japanese-born athlete Taira made history at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, becoming the first fighter to stop Brandon Moreno by finish, defeating the former flyweight champion via TKO at 2:24 of the second round. The victory advances Taira’s record to 18-1 MMA and 8-1 UFC, positioning him directly in line to challenge Joshua Van, who captured the flyweight title in the night’s co-main event after Alexandre Pantoja sustained an arm injury 26 seconds into their bout.
Tatsuro Taira Plans to Finish Joshua Van After Historic Brandon Moreno Win
Following the dominant performance at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Taira appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show to discuss his next move. When asked about fighting Van, Taira expressed confidence in securing another title opportunity.
“I think the fight with Joshua Van will be very exciting. I’m very curious how good he is going to be and what he has, because he couldn’t show everything in his last fight. I also have a lot of things that I haven’t been able to show. In a five-round fight, I’m sure I’ll be able to finish at one point,” Taira told Helwani.
Taira’s path to the title shot came through decisive action against Moreno, who entered the bout with a record of 23-9-2. The Japanese fighter engineered a smooth takedown in the second round, transitioned to back control with a body lock, and proceeded to unleash a series of strikes that forced referee Mark Smith to stop the action. Taira felt the moment during the transition.
“When I did that takedown, the body lock and the takedown, I already kind of started feeling it, but especially going into the ground, I felt that he was weak. He didn’t feel so much power for him,” Taira explained.
Van’s path to the title came in equally unconventional circumstances. The 24-year-old from Myanmar, fighting out of Houston, became the second-youngest UFC champion in history when Pantoja attempted to regain balance following a failed head kick catch by Van. As Pantoja fell backward and tried to post with his arm, the limb gave way, resulting in a dislocated elbow and immediate TKO.
Despite the injury-plagued title fight, Taira showed respect for Van’s accomplishment. “Seeing Joshua Van through this fight week, I always felt he might do it. I felt he might have something that might make something happen, so I wasn’t surprised in that sense. He’s the first Asian male champion, so why not celebrate? Congratulations,” Taira said during his interview.
Regarding the potential matchup location, Taira expressed willingness to travel or compete in Japan. Van has stated his preference for defending his title in Houston, his adopted home. Taira responded to that challenge by noting his flexibility. “I’m happy to go to Houston as well. That’s nice. Going to the champ’s home. I’m the contender visiting,” he said during his appearance on Helwani’s show.
