UFC 328 video: Joshua Van dazzles with late knockout to finish Tatsuro Taira after back-and-forth war

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: (R-L) Joshua Van of Myanmar punches Tatsuro Taira of Japan in the UFC flyweight championship fight during the UFC 328 event at Prudential Center on May 09, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) Joshua Van cemented himself as flyweight champion after a stunning performance to beat Tatsuro Taira in a potential Fight of the Year at UFC 328. Again and again, Van had to deal with Taira’s dominant ground game after the Japanese flyweight connected with multiple takedowns.

But Van was relentless with his ability to get up again and then he absolutely punished Taira on the feet with fast, powerful hands. The end came in the final round when Van unleashed another blinding combination that hurt Taira to the body before going back up top to the head. When Taira dropped this time, referee Vitor Ribeiro saw enough and stopped the fight at 1:32 in the fifth round as Van successfully defended his title.

JOSHUA VAN FINISHES TATSURO TAIRA IN THE 5TH ROUND!!! 📺 @paramountplus pic. twitter.

com/TxGx7ae1OI — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) May 10, 2026 “It feels damn good to be the champion again,” Van said after the win. “I said I was going to finish him inside three rounds and I almost did but he’s a tough motherf*cker. As soon as I got to the body, it was over.