Flyweight champion Joshua Van has his first title defense set, and Japan has a chance to finally have a UFC champion of its own.
Van will face off against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 327 on April 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. The flyweight champ announced the news himself during the UFC Houston Fan Q&A, after the bout had been the subject of rumors from the likes of Krazy Kev MMA on social media.
Van claimed flyweight gold during a bizarre scene at UFC 323, when reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja injured his arm early in their co-main event fight. While not the way anyone wanted to see the bout end, it did cap off an incredible year for Van, who also notched wins over Rei Tsuruya, Bruno Silva, and Brandon Royval.
Overall, the 24-year old American of Burmese descent sits on a six-fight win streak.
Japan’s Taira is 8-1 inside the octagon since arriving in the UFC in 2022. His lone loss came against Brandon Royval in late 2024, but he’s bounced back with impressive wins over Park Hyun-Sung and most recently former champ Brandon Moreno.
Taira is one of two highly-skilled Japanese UFC flyweight contenders at the moment, alongside recently returned star and former Bellator/RIZIN champ Kyoji Horiguchi.
Van vs. Taira is expected to serve as the co-main event of UFC 327 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Floria.