LAS VEGAS – One of the brightest young prospects in the UFC continues to prove why many are very high on his potential.
Undefeated flyweight [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] met CJ Vergara on the prelims of UFC Fight Night 212 at UFC Apex on Saturday. The fight streamed on ESPN+.
The 22-year-old Taira (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) showed off a well-rounded game in this outing, flashing sharp striking and an effective ground game. In the second round, his success on the mat prevailed as he smoothly transitioned into a tight armbar on Vergara (10-4-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC), who had no choice but to tap.
Watch video of the submission in the video below (via Twitter):
What an armbar by @TatsuroTaira 💪 #UFCVegas62
pic.twitter.com/ws43EhKXdb— UFC (@ufc) October 15, 2022
The finish marks the first for Taira in his young UFC career. The Japanese flyweight debuted with the promotion in May, where he defeated Carlos Candelario by unanimous decision. Prior to his entry into the UFC, Taira rattled off three-straight first-round stoppages, and got back to his finishing ways on Saturday.
Taira has designs on fighting for the flyweight title in the near future, and vows to keep his perfect record intact until he achieves that goal.
“I won’t lose until I get the championship,” Taira said through an interpreter during his post-fight interview.
Up-to-the-minute results of UFC Fight Night 212 include:
- Tatsuro Taira def. CJ Vergara via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:19
- Pete Rodriguez def. Mike Jackson via knockout (knee) – Round 1, 1:33
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 212.
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