UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van took to social media to react after his epic knockout win over Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328.
As the betting underdog, Van put on an absolutely electric performance against Taira in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 328 event at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
After the two fighters went toe-to-toe for the first four rounds, Van knocked Taira down early in the fifth round, forcing the referee to step in and call the fight off due to TKO, and handing Van the win, which was his first official title defense of the UFC flyweight title. It was an absolutely amazing flyweight fight, and it earned both men $100,000 each for Fight of the Night.
Joshua Van Reacts to UFC 328 Win
Taking to his social media the day after UFC 328, Van reacted to his amazing knockout win over Taira.
“All Glory to God #ufc328,” Van wrote on his Instagram.
For Van, this victory cements his place as the top flyweight fighter in the world, as some called him a “paper champion” for the way he won his belt in his last fight. Against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323, his opponent lost via injury TKO in the first round, and many fans and media feel like it wasn’t a clear win for Van. Despite the way that fight played out, Van still won the belt, and against Taira, he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the best fighter in his weight class.
What’s Next for Joshua Van?
The UFC has several options for Van in his next bout, but the fight that seems most likely is a rematch with Pantoja. Again, many people think that the fight didn’t have a definitive ending the way it played out, so a rematch between these two is the only way to settle the score for good. Pantoja was in attendance at UFC 328, and the camera panned to him during Van’s post-fight interview after he had the belt wrapped around his waist. So it does feel like the UFC is considering booking this rematch now that Pantoja is healthy and ready to return to the Octagon.
The other option is for Van to fight the winner of the upcoming bout between Manel Kape and Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC Vegas 119 in June. These are two of the top flyweights in the world, and both of them would be very deserving of fighting for the flyweight belt with a win over one another next month. So the UFC also has this option in their back pocket, and they may at least wait for that fight to take place before announcing Van’s next bout.
Regardless of who he faces, Van is must-see television. He is simply one of the most exciting action fighters in the sport today, and every single time he steps into the Octagon, he puts on amazing fights. Against Taira, he showed how good he is, and at just 24 years of age, he may hold UFC flyweight gold for a very long time.
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