Van's injury pushes title defense vs. Taira to UFC 328 in May

UFC flyweight champ Joshua Van's first title defense postponed to next month due to minor injury

Apr. 5, 2026 at 1:09am

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UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van's first title defense against Tatsuro Taira has been postponed from UFC 327 next weekend to UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark due to a minor injury to Van. The 24-year-old Van (16-2) became the second-youngest champion in UFC history in December when he claimed the 125-pound belt from Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323.

Why it matters

Van's title reign and rise to the top of the UFC flyweight division has been one of the promotion's biggest storylines over the past year. Any delay in his first title defense is sure to be closely watched by MMA fans eager to see the young champion in action again.

The details

Van was originally scheduled to defend his title against Tatsuro Taira (18-1) at UFC 327 in Miami next weekend. However, officials announced on Saturday that the championship bout has been postponed to UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark due to a minor injury to Van. The fight will now join the card headlined by a middleweight title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland.

  • Van became UFC flyweight champion in December 2025 at UFC 323.
  • Van's first title defense was originally scheduled for UFC 327 on April 12, 2026.
  • The title fight vs. Taira has now been rescheduled for UFC 328 on May 9, 2026.

The players

Joshua Van

The 24-year-old UFC flyweight champion, who became the second-youngest champion in UFC history when he won the title in December 2025.

Tatsuro Taira

Van's challenger, an 18-1 fighter who was set to challenge for the UFC flyweight title at UFC 327 before the bout was postponed.

Alexandre Pantoja

The previous UFC flyweight champion, whom Van defeated to win the title at UFC 323 in December 2025.

Khamzat Chimaev

The middleweight title challenger who will headline UFC 328 against Sean Strickland.

Sean Strickland

The middleweight title challenger who will headline UFC 328 against Khamzat Chimaev.

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What they’re saying

“Van's rise to the top of the flyweight division has been one of the biggest stories in the UFC over the past year. Fans are eager to see him defend his title for the first time.”

— Brett Okamoto, ESPN MMA Reporter

What’s next

The winner of the Van vs. Taira title fight at UFC 328 on May 9 will likely face the next top contender in the UFC flyweight division.

The takeaway

This postponement of Van's first title defense is a minor setback, but it keeps one of the UFC's rising young stars in the spotlight as he looks to cement his status atop the 125-pound weight class.