Why was Joshua Van’s title defense against Tatsuro Taira pushed to UFC 328? Strategic decision or something else? Check out the real reason

Joshua Van vs Tatsuro Taira: Was Joshua Van’s title defense against rising contender Tatsuro Taira moved to UFC 328 due to scheduling changes by the promotion, or was it a strategic decision aimed at maximizing viewership and strengthening the overall fight card? There’s no speculation involved, as UFC has clarified that Joshua’s first flyweight title defense has been pushed to next month due to a minor injury.


Joshua (16-2) was originally set to defend his flyweight title against Taira (18-1) at UFC 327 next weekend in Miami. However, the bout has now been postponed to UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark. The event will be headlined by a middleweight title clash between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland.


At just 24, Joshua became the second-youngest champion in UFC history after defeating Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title at UFC 323 in December. Representing Myanmar, he heads into his next bout riding a six-fight winning streak.


Meanwhile, Taira (18-1) surged into title contention with a second-round knockout of former champion Brandon Moreno on the same night Van won the belt. That victory marked his eighth win in nine UFC appearances, with six coming via stoppage.

The UFC 327 card at Kaseya Center in Miami will now be headlined by a vacant light heavyweight title clash between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg, while Azamat Murzakanov vs Paulo Costa serves as the new co-main event.