Tatsuro Taira final competed 10 months in the past in a Combat of the Yr contender in opposition to Brandon Royval in the primary occasion of UFC Vegas 98, and loads has modified in his absence within the UFC’s flyweight division.
Taira returns this Saturday within the UFC Vegas 108 headliner in opposition to short-notice opponent Hyun Sung Park — who replaces Amir Albazi on lower than per week’s discover.
Since Taira suffered his first professional MMA loss to Royval, the division has seen the fast rise of Joshua Van, who battled his technique to a possible title shot with 5 victories in lower than a 12 months. Watching Van’s emergence has fired up Taira to do the identical.
“[The way Van has risen up the ranks] and received as much as that title rivalry, very stunning,” Taira advised MMA Preventing. “However a variety of inspiration I get from him, offers a variety of power to me as effectively, So I’m excited to see how that struggle goes [with Pantoja]”
Van defeated Royval at June’s UFC 317 occasion in one of the thrilling fights of the 12 months, and after Pantoja stopped Kai Kara-France later within the card, the 2 confronted off to arrange a future title struggle.
Taira hopes to place himself ready on Saturday in opposition to Track the place he might await the winner of the following potential world title struggle at 125 kilos.
“Clearly, expertise [will play a factor], but additionally, merely, talent set sensible, I simply need to present the place I’m and the place he’s when it comes to the expertise and talent units,” Taira mentioned.
“Sure I’m able to show what sort of fighter I’m, the energy I’ve with the win. And I’ll wait to see who wins between Pantoja and Van and hopefully I get the following shot.”
If all goes in response to plan, who does Taira imagine he would face in that championship bout: Pantoja or Van?
“Pantoja has confirmed loads,” Taira mentioned. “It’ll be a jiu-jitsu vs. boxing battle, for certain. I feel Pantoja’s jiu-jitsu will win the struggle.”
