Tag: Tatsuro Taira

Tatsuro Taira: UFC Fight Night 244 win puts me over Amir Albazi, Kai Asakura as fresh title contender

If UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is looking for fresh competition, Tatsuro Taira thinks he will have the strongest case.

If flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is looking for fresh competition to defend his title against, [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] thinks he will have the strongest case.

Undefeated Japanese sensation Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) will look to put his resume over the top for a crack at the 125-pound belt when he takes on Brandon Royval (16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 244 main event, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+).

Pantoja has already beaten the majority of the top-ranked contenders in the division, and some of them twice over. There’s only a few new matchups for the champ, and Taira is one of them if he gets through Royval.

Amir Albazi would have a case if he beats Brandon Moreno in the UFC Fight Night 245 main event on Nov. 2. Former RIZIN FF champ Kai Asakura has also been rumored for a crack at gold in his promotional debut. Nothing is seemingly set in stone, though, and Taira aims to show the promotion he’s the guy.

“I’m very excited to see the Albazi vs. Moreno fight,” Taira told MMA Junkie through an interpreter on Tuesday. “Of course,  I’m looking forward to Kai Asakura, how he can do as well. But just thinking of the results and records that I have in UFC, I’ve been the one who has been consistently winning and showing strength. I’m pretty sure I would belong as the next title contender.”

[lawrence-related id=2777098,2777012]

Taira made his octagon debut in May 2022 and has already rattled off six UFC wins, with four of those coming by stoppage. The 24-year-old has three Performance of the Night bonuses to boast, as well, and as a result has positioned himself for this breakthrough opportunity against Royval.

“I wouldn’t say (my rise up the division is happening) fast, but I would say it’s a good pace,” Taira said. “It’s been working well so far. I’m ranked No. 5 now and I definitely want to show the fans that I belong here and also I belong as a champion soon and become a very strong champion.”

Taira’s desire to become UFC champion is unwavering, and he said nothing has distracted his commitment to the sport. He is determined to keep his undefeated streak going for as long as possible, because the fear of losing is also a driving force.

“If I start thinking of losing and stuff, I do get kind of scared,” Taira said. “But once the fight is coming and I start focusing, I don’t really even think about my record. I just really focus on the fight. That’s how much I love MMA. I just want to keep winning.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

UFC Fight Night 244 headliner Tatsuro Taira on burgers, baseball and the three best friends that anyone could have

UFC Fight Night 244 flyweight headliner Tatsuro Taira goes rapid fire on topics from movies to burgers to music.

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] has been climbing the ladder at flyweight, but until earlier this year he’d been doing it rather quietly.

The unbeaten Taira, from Japan, won his first five UFC fights, including back-to-back performance bonuses for submissions – all on the prelims. But earlier this year, he made a seemingly out-of-left-field jump to the UFC on ESPN 58 main event in Las Vegas. His second-round TKO of Alex Perez yielded him another $50,000 bonus.

Now he has a second straight headliner coming up when he takes on former title challenger Brandon Royval in the UFC Fight Night 244 main event. A win could give him a chance to make a case for a flyweight title shot.

Ahead of that show, which is set for Oct. 12 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+), Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) sat down with MMA Junkie Radio and gave a peek into his life outside the cage.

Check out the video above for Taira’s takes on burgers, baseball and more.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

Tatsuro Taira aims to emerge as ‘very clear contender’ with UFC Fight Night 244 win win over Brandon Royval

Tatsuro Taira will look to cement himself as the No. 1 flyweight contender at UFC Fight Night 244.

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] will look to cement himself as No. 1 contender at UFC Fight Night 244.

Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) takes on former title challenger [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) in the Oct. 12 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Another pivotal flyweight clash between former champion Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi headlines UFC Fight Night 246 on Nov. 2. But with Steve Erceg receiving the most recent title shot against champion Alexandre Pantoja, Taira knows there’s no particular direction when it comes to the flyweight division.

He plans on making himself undeniable against Royval.

“Honestly, I was like, why? To be honest, when I saw that match (Pantoja vs. Erceg), I was a little surprised,” Taira told MMA Junkie Radio through an interpreter. “But it’s true. In the flyweight division in the UFC, there’s no clear contender. So, I just want to be that very clear contender. … I hope they will give me a title match after this.”

Tairia, who’s finished four of his past five fights, is confident that he can be the one to take out Pantoja, who’s outlasted his past three opponents in five-round battles.

“Looking at that title fight hopefully as a contender, I think Pantoja’s fights have all been five rounds,” Taira said. “It’s been all tough rounds, tough fights. But I think honestly, me, I should be able to finish him in three rounds.”

[lawrence-related id=2749042,2748444]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for the UFC Fight Night 244.

Edgar Chairez hopes to avenge frustrating short-notice loss to Tatsuro Taira: ‘I’ll make it look easy’

UFC flyweight Edgar Chairez is hoping to eventually avenge his frustrating loss to Tatsuro Taira.

[autotag]Edgar Chairez[/autotag] knows a rematch with [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] is not within immediate reach. However, he’s confident he’ll eventually work himself into a position where a second meet with the Japanese contender makes sense.

Chairez (11-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in July 2023. It was a fight he took with less than two weeks’ notice. The result left a bad taste in Chairez’s mouth, as he felt he had all the tools to get his hand raised, just not the time to sharpen them.

“It’s all words, but all say it and have it be on the record here,” Chairez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “You’ll see how quickly I can finish someone (Taira) in the top five of the world. I’ll make it look easy, so I can make it clear that I’m worthy of a title shot.

“If I’m being honest, Taira wasn’t a hard fight for me. I just had cardio difficulties, and I’m just a bit frustrated because I wasn’t fully prepared. I didn’t have the cardio to get up and keep hitting him. But anyway, all that frustration I’ve taken it out on my most recent fights. Right now, I’m prepared, and you guys will see the day at the Sphere.”

Chairez returns to the cage on Sept. 14, as he takes on Peru’s Kevin Borjas at UFC 306 in Las Vegas. He’s determined to put away Borjas and make a big statement so he can get matched up with someone in the rankings and eventually get closer to a potential rematch with Taira.

“People forget I debuted against No. 5 in the world, and I put it on him,” Chairez said. “That’s what I’m pushing for and that’s why I’m hoping to get, maybe not him, but a top 15. Then after that, it’s a lot easier to ask for a top 7 or 6. I just need to stay on course, keep working hard, and stay focused.

“For that fight (against Taira), I didn’t even prepare. Just with my experience I was able to do a lot. Right now, Taira will fight against No. 1, Brandon Royval, and I’m sure if he wins he’ll fight for the title. … I think if I finish Kevin Borjas in impressive fashion, I’ll get a good name for the end of the year or maybe even for UFC Mexico because I’ve heard that in February they return to Mexico.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

UFC books Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira to headline October event

A huge UFC flyweight contender fight between Tatsuro Taira and Brandon Royval is set for five rounds.

A big flyweight fight is getting the five-round main event treatment.

At the UFC Fight Night card Oct. 12, top contenders [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] and [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] will collide in a headlining scrap at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Thursday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. X user @realkevink first reported the news.

Royval (16-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is riding high off an upset victory over Brandon Moreno in February. Royval took the main event bout on short notice and defeated Moreno, a former champion, in his native Mexico.

A fast rising star, Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) steps into his second promotional main event. The 24-year-old Japanese phenom has finished four of his six UFC appearances to date, including his most recent bout vs. Alex Perez in June.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Oct. 12 includes:

  • Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira
  • Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Josh Fremd
  • Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia
  • Cody Garbrandt vs. Miles Johns
  • Themba Gorimbo vs. Niko Price
  • Jared Gooden vs. Chidi Njokuani
  • Clayton Carpenter vs. Lucas Rocha
  • Cory McKenna vs. Polyana Viana

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for the UFC Fight Night on Oct. 12.

Amir Albazi gives update on UFC return, willing to face Tatsuro Taira

UFC flyweight contender Amir Albazi has been frustrated sitting on the sidelines but is nearing his return.

UFC flyweight contender [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] has been frustrated sitting on the sidelines but is nearing his return.

Albazi (17-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) hasn’t competed since edging out Kai Kara-France in his first UFC main event last June. The win positioned him into title contention, but the 30-year-old has been forced to take a step back after two surgeries.

Albazi withdrew from his UFC Fight Night 237 main event vs. Brandon Moreno in February due to a neck injury, which required surgery. He is gearing for a comeback this fall.

“I’ll be ready to go in September, so that’s the plan,” Albazi told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m almost fully healed. I would say I’m 85 percent, 90 percent back to fighting. So, I can’t wait. It’s been a tough journey so far. I had two surgeries back to back. I’m just excited, motivated, and ready to come back in the cage and do what I do best.”

With rising contenders such as Muhammad Mokaev, Manel Kape and [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] emerging, Albazi feels like the forgotten contender.

“It’s been so, so hard to deal with this,” Albazi said. “I had a heart surgery back in November actually, so imagine coming out of a heart surgery, start training, getting into a camp, fighting Moreno for the next title contender, and then I get this, and I have to do another surgery for my neck.

“So, I was feeling like it was hitting me everywhere where I see guys just fighting and fighting and fighting. But this just motivates me to get back in and actually be more active than ever.”

With Mokaev facing Kape at UFC 304 and Kara-France taking on Steve Erceg at UFC 305, Albazi is open to undefeated Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) next.

“I haven’t been in the cage for a long time, so of course people are not going to think about me just yet until I fight again,” Albazi said. “But I think he (Taira) needs one more fight with someone in the top five, top six.

Maybe the winner of Mokaev and Manel Kape, or if they give him Moreno, Royval, anyone that’s kind of battle tested. So then after that fight, yeah sure, why not? The guy keeps winning, the guy is good so – or put him against me. I’m ready for that challenge, too.”

[lawrence-related id=2647486,2646356]

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, June 18: Undefeated Tatsuro Taira takes a leap

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following 2024 PFL 4 and UFC on ESPN 58.

Following UFC on ESPN 58 and 2024 PFL 4, the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings required updating.

The PFL event in Uncasville, Conn., saw the rapidly rising [autotag]Dakota Ditcheva[/autotag] stop her opponent, Chelsea Hackett, in the first round. The undefeated flyweight is making waves and enters the honorable mentions for the first time.

In the feature bout of the UFC event in Las Vegas, undefeated flyweight [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] picked up the biggest win of his career thus far in a TKO over Alex Perez. Entering the week at No. 11, the 24-year-old from Japan leaps up to No. 7, placing him in the mix with former champions and title contenders.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings above.

Video: Does Tatsuro Taira have potential to become UFC flyweight champion?

Is Tatsuro Taira a future UFC flyweight champion in the making? We discuss on the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique.”

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reacts to [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]’s latest win.

This past Saturday in the main event of UFC on ESPN 58 in Las Vegas, Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) picked up a injury TKO win over former title challenger Alex Perez. Although victorious, Taira’s victory came following a knee injury sustained by Perez (25-9 MMA, 7-5 UFC) while Taira was on his back.

With the somewhat inconclusive result, where does the undefeated Japanese contender go next? Does he have the potential to hold gold at flyweight?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Farah Hannoun, Danny Segura and host “Gorgeous” George Garcia discuss the result from the UFC on ESPN 58 main event.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

https://youtube.com/live/jM4-H41mykQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Conor McGregor injured, Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka headlines UFC 303, more

On “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from UFC 303, the booking of Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka, more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Farah Hannoun, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • The UFC 303 and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] saga has finally come to an end. Unfortunately, the Irish superstar has been ruled out of his return at UFC 303 on June 29 due to injury. This is devastating news for McGregor, but what exactly does this mean for his career? Where does this leave his opponent [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]? We break it all down.
  • McGregor’s injury did not affect Chandler alone. This forced the UFC to strengthen the International Fight Week event by adding new bouts, including a light heavyweight title fight between [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] and [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] for the main event, and a pivotal featherweight bout between [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] in the co-main. Additionally, [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] suffered an injury and was replaced by [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] for his fight against [autotag]Carlos Ulberg[/autotag]. We chat about the latest updates for UFC 303.
  • This past Saturday, young, Japanese rising contender [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] got past his toughest test – former UFC title challenger [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]. In a competitive bout, Perez suffered a knee injury while Taira had his back, thus losing by TKO. What’s Taira’s potential? Where does he go next? We discuss.
  • The UFC’s debut event in Saudi Arabia this Saturday has a new main event. [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] pulled out due to illness, and now [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] will take on undefeated [autotag]Ikram Aliskerov[/autotag]. We break down the new main event, along with the rest of the card.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

Unfortunate circumstances: 15 unforeseen injuries that ended UFC main events

Injuries are part of the game in MMA, but there’s nothing worse than one ends a marquee UFC fight.

While the term “freak injury” might not be appropriate to use when discussing a sport that is inherently dangerous, 14 UFC main events have ended in unforeseen injuries – broken legs, separated shoulders, eye pokes, etc. – that don’t typically come in the sequence of MMA combat.

Scroll below to see a chronology of UFC main events that ended in that nature.

Note: Injuries sustained on a TKO due to strikes or tapout due to a submission are not included, nor are retirements on the stool due to extended fight damage or exhaustion. Laceration-based stoppages also are not included since they come as an intentional result of the opposition’s attack.