UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van is reportedly making his first title defense.
The promotion’s youngest belt holder told fans during a Q&A session at UFC Houston that he will next face Tatsuro Taira. He did not specify when or where the fight would take place.
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When asked to assess his potential challengers, Fan said: “I’m going to fight Tatsuro next, man.”
Van won the flyweight title at UFC 323 on December 6, defeating Alexandre Pantoja via a freak incident. Van came into the match as a clear underdog, but an awkward fall in the first minute caused Pantoja to severely dislocate his shoulder, and despite only scoring two significant goals, Van emerged as the new champion.
A rematch with Pantoja, one of the best performers in flyweight history, is imminent, but it’s unclear when the Brazilian will be back in form again. That leaves two possibilities for Van’s first defense: Tyra and Marnell Cap.
Tyra is the more high-profile choice as he was noticeably seated next to Dana White during Van’s fight following his win over former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323. Ping maintained a record of 18 wins and 1 loss and became the first Japanese champion in UFC history.
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Fan, the first Asian-born champion, may also face Kapp, who has won seven of his last eight fights, last defeating Brandon Royval in December. Kapp refuted false reports last weekend that he was competing for the title, claiming the UFC had committed the spot to Ping.