Joshua Van is ready to make his first title defense.
MMA Fighting confirmed that Van will defend his newly won flyweight title against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 327. Van broke the news that Taira will be his first title defense during the Fan Q&A ahead of UFC Houston, with the details of the bout first being reported by Real Kevin K.
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Just 24 years old, Van had one of the best years in MMA history in 2025, going from unranked fighter at the start of the year to flyweight champion by the end. After beating Rei Tsuruya and Bruno da Silva to start the year, Van stepped in on short notice against Brandon Royval, winning a decision in the Fight of the Year and vaulting to the No. 1 contender spot. He challenged long-reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323, winning in just 26 seconds after Pantoja suffered an arm injury while posting his arm after Van caught a kick.
Taira also had a strong 2025 campaign. The 26-year-old Japanese fighter rebounded from his first career loss by beating short-notice replacement opponent Hyun Sung Park via submission in August, before then becoming the first man to finish former two-time flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, also at UFC 323.
UFC 327 goes down on April 11 at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Mike Heck contributed to this report.
