Tag: UFC on ESPN 58

Alex Perez wants to ‘be the guy that solves that puzzle’ of unbeaten Tatsuro Taira in UFC on ESPN 58 main event

Alex Perez plans to take the hype of undefeated Japanese sensation Tatsuro Taira in the UFC on ESPN 58 main event.

[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] is happy to put his ranking on the line against undefeated Tatsuro Taira in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 58 main event.

Former flyweight title challenger Perez (24-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) considers himself to be one of the true fighters in his weight class. He thinks he’s proving that again by accepting a five-round fight against surging Japanese contender Taira (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in a headlining act at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN2, ESPN+).

“People ask me, ‘Why did you take this fight? You could’ve got a top-five guy?’ I’m just here to fight,” Perez told MMA Junkie at Thursday’s media day. “If I keep winning, the title shot will be here. This guy’s a top prospect. He has a lot of hype behind him. I can take his hype when I beat him this weekend.”

Perez, 32, had been plagued with injuries and fight cancellations over several years leading up to UFC on ESPN 55 in April, where he reintroduced himself with a second-round knockout of Matheus Nicolau.

Now Perez, No. 5 in the official UFC rankings, looks to build momentum against No. 13-ranked Taira and show he’s not going to be used as a stepping stone.

“He’s 15-0 for a reason,” Perez said. “I know he was a champ outside the UFC. He’s fought really good guys. People are like, ‘Ah, it’s going to be an easy fight.’ He’s tough, very good striker, doesn’t really get hit a lot, very good grappler. Usually a lot of Japanese guys I’ve trained with in the past are very good grapplers and very good strikers. They don’t really have that blend. He has that blend.

“He is a tough guy. He’s very good. If you’ve seen his fights, he’s been able to drop people, been able to sub people, been able to go to decision. I’m excited for the challenge. I want to be the guy that solves that puzzle.”

Perez is confident in his chances to get the job done, and he said so long as he stays within himself, he will be successful.

“The key to victory for me is just go out there and have fun and do my thing,” Perez said. “When I’m having fun and when I’m working, no one can beat me.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

Tatsuro Taira gunning for Alexandre Pantoja title fight with UFC on ESPN 58 main event win

Tatsuro Taira thinks a victory over Alex Perez in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 58 headliner solidify a flyweight title shot.

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] thinks a victory over Alex Perez in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 58 main event could solidify a flyweight title shot.

Taira (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) brings an undefeated record into his first octagon headliner with former title challenger Perez (24-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at UFC Apex (ESPN2, ESPN+). The matchup has significant implications on the title picture, and Taira wants to show he belongs at the top.

“I want to show my technique, skills, everything I have – I always look to do all of it,” Taira told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Thursday’s media day. “Alex Perez is well-rounded. He has everything. I can beat him at all aspects. That’s my preparation for this training.”

Taira, 24, said he’s predicting a knockout or submission of Perez in what he hopes will be a definitive statement that he deserves to be next to challenge 125-pound champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC), who is hungry for fresh contenders.

“My target is Pantoja,” Taira said. “Recently he fought five rounds (against Steve Erceg), so I’m going to beat him up the third round.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

UFC free fight: Tatsuro Taira blasts through Carlos Hernandez in TKO win

Watch Tatsuro Taira’s most recent win ahead of his return at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 58.

[autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] looks to be the real deal, and there’s no better indication of that than his most recent outing.

Back in December, Taira stepped into the UFC octagon for his fifth time to face Carlos Hernandez at UFC Fight Night 233. It was a flawless and dominant showing from the Japanese fighter, he controlled Hernandez using his grappling in the first round, and then his striking in the second to put an end to the contest.

You can watch Taira’s latest TKO win in the video above.

Taira (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) returns this Saturday in his first UFC main event. He takes on former title challenger Alex Perez (25-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in the headliner of UFC on ESPN 58, which goes down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

Joshua Van relieved to make it to UFC on ESPN 58 fight week after several bout cancellations

UFC flyweight prospect Joshua Van is stoked to finally make it to a UFC fighting week without his bout getting canceled.

It’s UFC on ESPN 58 and [autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag] can’t help but feel a sense of relief that it’s finally here.

The UFC flyweight prospect has been wanting to get his second fight in for 2024, but has been unable to. After stopping Felipe Bunes in January, Van (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has been booked three different times and has seen all three bouts get canceled. He was supposed to fight Lucas Rocha in April, then Sumudaerji to get switched to Tatsuro Taira for UFC 302 in June.

It looks like the fourth time is the charm, as he’s fighting Tagir Ulanbekov (15-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) this Saturday in Las Vegas.

“I’m just excited that I get to fight,” Van told MMA Junkie. “The last couple of months have been canceled fights and stuff like that, or my opponents pull out or whatever. I’m just excited to be here in fight week, finally. I’m very, very excited.”

The 22-year-old Van admits it’s been tough to not be active and has felt frustrated throughout this process.

“Shout out to my coaches because there was a point in time I didn’t even want to train, man,” Van said. “It’s just because they kept canceling fights and sh*t like that, so shout out to my coaches for keeping me grinding every day.”

Ulanbekov is currently in the official top 15 rankings of the UFC’s flyweight division. Van is happy to be getting a notable opponent and expects a tough test on Saturday.

“He’s a tough fighter and a good wrestler,” Van said. “His striking is there, but his main thing is his wrestling. Come Fight Night, we’ll be ready for him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.

UFC on ESPN 58: Make your predictions for Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 58 event in Las Vegas.

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 58 event in Las Vegas.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those reader consensus picks will be part of the main card staff predictions we release ahead of UFC on ESPN 58 (ESPN2/ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Make your picks below.

UFC on ESPN 58: How to watch Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira, start time, Las Vegas fight card, odds, more

Here’s what you need to know to watch UFC on ESPN 58 on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

After a trip to the Midwest, the UFC is back on its home turf this week with a pair of flyweights at the top of the lineup.

Here’s how to watch UFC on ESPN 58 with 125-pounders in the headlining spot, plus featherweights in the co-feature.

Extra expenses not ideal, but Garrett Armfield makes case for early UFC fights overseas

Garrett Armfield has a cautionary tale for fighting overseas – but not one that comes with any regrets.

[autotag]Garrett Armfield[/autotag] has a cautionary tale for fighting overseas – but not one that comes with any regrets.

While the specifics vary based on country, it’s long been known that fighting internationally is not always all it’s cracked up to be – particularly from a financial standpoint. Whether fighters from outside America are coming to the States, or American fighters are taking bouts overseas, they’re going to be hit with additional income taxes.

Additionally, in most cases, the UFC only pays expenses for the fighter and one corner for an international fight. So if Armfield wants his full normal team with him outside the country, he’s out of pocket for the excess.

Along with what often can be a difficult task on fight night in enemy territory, the financial hurdles make taking international fights hard, particularly for fighters early in their careers. But Armfield thinks of it as an investment in his career.

After a short-notice UFC debut loss to David Onama nearly two years ago, a pair of cancellations had Armfield in need of a fight a year later – and he took one against Toshiomi Kazama in Singapore so he could get back to work.

“I think they support us 100 percent: Go fight in a beautiful city and go on a cool resort and they pay for you and one (other) flight,” Armfield recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “But to be transparent, I did pay for my other corner to go with, and that was a pretty pricey thing. And then Singapore did take 15 percent. So I did have a lot of expenses with that fight, but I think it was a huge moment for my career – and I hadn’t fought in a year, either.

“When I first got the Singapore call, Trey was like, you know, it’s not a bad fight, but we can go fight in Vegas. It’s way easier and puts you on a different card. But for some reason, I was like, ‘Nope. Nope. We’ve got to do this.’ So I’m glad I took that.”

Armfield knocked out Kazama in the first round. In January this year, he won his second straight with an upset of two-time “Ultimate Fighter” winner Brad Katona in Canada.

And while that fight was in Toronto, meaning just a few hours in the air from Armfield’s Florida base compared to Singapore, it still was international. That almost certainly means Armfield (10-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will be glad to be in Las Vegas next week when he takes on Brady Hiestand (7-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 58.

“I feel like there’s two ways of looking at it. They could definitely financially (support us more). There’s other ways – like, they could pay for a second equipment or whatever,” Armfield said. “But at the same time, I really believe in the thing that this is an opportunity, not a career. I really agree with that statement, so I’m here to take every opportunity that I can.

“It doesn’t matter how much money it’s going to cost. I know everything’s going to be OK in the end. If you love what you’re doing, you’re good at it, you’re going to make some real money one day. So if I’ve got to pay the expenses up front now to go show my burn out to the world, it’s investments for now for a bigger payout whenever I am a top-five fighter. Whatever it may be, wherever my prime is, that I know the money will follow, so I’m here to invest myself and fight wherever against whoever. (I’ll) go to Australia and (taxes can) take 40 percent of my money. I don’t care. I’m here to be a fighter’s fighter.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.