Tatsuro Taira may be eyeing a title shot, but a UFC legend believes he still has a point to prove.
This past Saturday in the main event of UFC Vegas 108, Taira made a statement by submitting short-notice replacement Hyun Sung Park in the second round at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Both fighters started off cautiously, feeling each other out until “The Best” flipped the script with a pair of thudding right hands that dropped Park. From there, Taira dominated the remainder of the first round on the mat, relentlessly pressuring but unable to secure a finish.
That changed quickly in the second. Taira grounded Park within seconds and wasted no time capitalizing, forcing a tap via neck crank just 1:06 into the round.
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In the aftermath of his victory, Taira used his Octagon interview to call for a UFC flyweight title shot against the winner of a potential matchup between reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja and rising contender Joshua Van.
Michael Bisping, who had already urged Tatsuro Taira during the interview to log one more win before entering title contention, later expanded on his stance and explained why he believes the rising flyweight isn’t quite ready yet.
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Michael Bisping Believes Tatsuro Taira Should Face Brandon Moreno Before UFC Title Shot
Speaking during the UFC Vegas 108 broadcast (via MMA Junkie), Michael Bisping explained why he believes Tatsuro Taira still has more to prove before earning a title shot, suggesting that a win over a former flyweight champion like Brandon Moreno would solidify his place in the division’s elite.
He calls for a title fight. I get that, but I was like, ‘You’ve got to have one more fight first,'” Bisping said. “I’m not the matchmaker. I don’t make those decisions, but that seems logical. It would seem he would have to have one more fight. Who should that fight be against?
I’ve got a choice: It is the former champion Brandon Moreno. Tell me you don’t want to see that fight? That would show you the level of Tatsuro Taira and also allow Brandon Moreno to get back in the mix – not that he’s not in the mix, of course.
With his dominant performance against Hyun Sung Park, “The Best” bounced back into the win column after tasting the first defeat of his professional career in a hard-fought split decision loss to former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC Vegas 98 in October 2024. Taira now holds a 7-1 record in the UFC, with five of those victories coming by way of finish.
