UFC flyweight king Joshua Van is scheduled for his first title defense against fellow young star Tatsuro Taira on Saturday for the co-main event of UFC 328, which goes down inside Prudential Center in Newark.
Even though he’s the defending champion, Van is going to be the betting underdog with +135 UFC odds, while Taira, who only has one career defeat, will be the betting favorite with -160 odds.
UFC 328: Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira Fight Odds
- Joshua Van: +135
- Tatsuro Taira: -160
UFC 328: Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira: Tale of the Tape
| Joshua Van | Tatsuro Taira | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 24 | 26 |
| Height | 5’5” | 5’7” |
| Reach | 65 inches | 70 inches |
| Leg Reach | 35 inches | 38 inches |
| Record | 16-2 | 18-1 |
| Fighting Style | Freestyle | MMA |
| Finishing Rate | 63% | 78% |
UFC 328: Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira: Prediction
My prediction is a unanimous decision win for Taira over Van because he’s the better grappler and has the edge in physicality. Taira doesn’t need to cover a lot of distance when throwing his strikes, as he’ll have 5 inches of reach and 3 inches of leg reach advantages.
Van may have the better striking skills among the two, but the grappling and takedowns of Taira can almost instantly shut down this threat. I think the challenger will bait the defending champion into a striking exchange before he shoots for a takedown.
This is exactly what he did against Brandon Moreno. He set up a perfect level-change during a striking exchange with him to take him down, before he locked up a body triangle and finished him with ground-and-pound strikes.
Joshua Van’s Recent Fight Results
Van was the former Fury Fighting Championship titleholder when the UFC signed him in 2023. In 10 UFC fights, he has only lost one, which allowed him to challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the 125-pound title at UFC 323. He maximized the opportunity and won via first-round TKO finish.
Tatsuro Taira’s Recent Fight Results
Taira was a standout in the Japanese MMA circuit before the UFC signed him in 2022. In nine octagon bouts, he recorded eight wins and one loss. He’s currently on a two-fight win streak with back-to-back victories over HyunSung Park and Moreno.
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