Japanese Fighter Taiya Tatsuro Faces Joshua Van in Historic UFC Title Bout Taiya Tatsuro, ranked No. 3 in the UFC flyweight division, will compete against American flyweight champion Joshua Van in a title fight at UFC 328. The event, scheduled for the 10th, will take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Both fighters successfully completed their weigh-in on the 8th, confirming they each met the 56.7kg weight class requirement. The matchup marks the first title fight in UFC history between male fighters of Asian descent. Taiya, born in Okinawa, and Van, originally from Myanmar and now based in the U.S., will face off in a high-stakes contest. For Taiya, the fight represents a chance to become Japan’s first UFC champion. After the weigh-in, he stated, “I am ready. I stand here to prove that I am the best,” and vowed to “bring the championship belt back to Japan.” Taiya’s recent performance includes a TKO victory over former champion Brandon Moreno in December last year, which solidified his status as a rising star in the division. Since then, he has continued to compete alongside young talents like Ronnie Cavanna. While Moreno has struggled after losing to Cavanna, Taiya has maintained his dominance, showcasing his technical skills and resilience. Joshua Van, the reigning flyweight champion, has declared his intent for the bout. He stated, “I can’t wait. Tomorrow is kill or be killed,” emphasizing his focus on securing a decisive victory rather than relying on judges’ decisions. Van’s aggressive style and physicality make him a formidable opponent, but Taiya’s grappling expertise and strategic mindset could be key to his success. In the main event of UFC 328, middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will face challenger Sean Strickland in their first title defense.#prudential_center #ufc_328 #japanese_fighter #taiya_tatsuro #joshua_van
UFC 328: Expert Predictions for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland Khamzat Chimaev aims to defend his UFC middleweight championship for the first time when he faces former titleholder Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday. Chimaev, who secured the belt by defeating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 last August, remains undefeated in his professional MMA career and is ranked No. 5 in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings. His past three victories have all come against former UFC champions, including Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker, and du Plessis. Strickland, ranked No. 4 in the middleweight division, enters the fight after a third-round TKO win over Anthony Hernandez in February. This will be his fourth middleweight title fight, following his 2023 victory over Israel Adesanya to claim the belt. However, Strickland has since lost his next two title bouts to du Plessis in 2024 and 2025. The matchup marks a rematch of sorts, as Strickland previously challenged du Plessis for the title. A panel of three former UFC fighters provided insights and predictions for the main event. Dustin Poirier expressed confidence in Chimaev’s ability to secure the win, noting that Strickland’s takedown defense, while decent, may not be sufficient to counter Chimaev’s aggressive style. Poirier highlighted Strickland’s footwork as a critical factor, suggesting that if Strickland fails to maintain a strong defensive stance, Chimaev’s pressure could overwhelm him. Poirier also emphasized Strickland’s reliance on front-foot jabs and teep kicks, which, while effective, may not be enough to halt Chimaev’s momentum.#prudential_center #newark_new_jersey #ufc_328 #khamzat_chimaev #sean_strickland
Joaquin Buckley Reacts to Being Excluded from UFC 328 Press Conference MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Joaquin Buckley will not be participating in the UFC 328 pre-fight press conference, despite his scheduled main card matchup against Sean Brady on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The UFC’s decision to feature only the main and co-main event fighters for Thursday’s event left Buckley and Brady excluded from the media session. Buckley, who recently ended a six-fight winning streak with a loss to former champion Kamaru Usman in June, expressed his feelings about the situation during Wednesday’s UFC 328 media day. When asked how he felt about not being included in the press conference, Buckley told reporters, “That’s a great question. I feel like for me, that’s where I should have been, and where I should be. But May 9, I’ve just got to show the world why I’m a superstar and why I’m a main event fighter.” Buckley emphasized his focus on the upcoming fight as a chance to prove his status. Buckley’s exclusion from the press conference came after his six-fight winning streak was snapped by Kamaru Usman in June. Following the loss, he sought additional training, including time at Kill Cliff FC, where he trained alongside Usman. He described the experience as beneficial, stating, “The training has been good. A lot of people are going to see all the things I learned from Usman, and from that fight, and the things I got to work on skill-wise when I was competing with him just in the gym.” Buckley’s comments highlighted his belief that the lessons from his loss to Usman would translate into improved performance against Brady, a wrestler with an 18-2 MMA record and 8-2 UFC record.#prudential_center #kamaru_usman #ufc_328 #joaquin_buckley #sean_brady
UFC 328 star Alexander Volkov predicts future Alex Pereira heavyweight fight: 'He's big, I'm huge' Alexander Volkov, the Russian heavyweight contender, has hinted at a potential future showdown with Alex Pereira, the UFC White House winner, following their respective upcoming bouts. Volkov, who is set to face Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 328 in Newark, expressed confidence in his ability to overcome Pereira should the two ever meet in the heavyweight division. The fight between Volkov and Cortes-Acosta is scheduled for the main card of the event, marking Volkov’s return to the octagon after a controversial decision loss to Ciryl Gane earlier this year. Volkov, a former M-1 Global and Bellator heavyweight champion, has built a reputation as one of the most seasoned veterans in the UFC’s top-heavyweight division. Over the past decade, he has faced notable names such as Tom Aspinall, Alistair Overeem, Stefan Struve, and Fabricio Werdum. His current position in the rankings places him among the top contenders, making him a logical test for Pereira as the Brazilian star transitions to the heavier weight class. Volkov believes his size and physical attributes give him an edge over Pereira, whom he describes as "big" but not as formidable as himself. In an interview with MMA Fighting, Volkov elaborated on his assessment of Pereira’s potential struggles in the heavyweight division. He noted that Pereira’s physique, which he described as having "a lot of water in his body," could hinder his performance. Volkov argued that the added weight would make cardio more challenging for Pereira and that his striking game, which relies on quick counters, might be less effective against a larger opponent. "I don’t know if it’s true or not, but we see his pictures. He has a lot of water in his body.#alex_pereira #ufc_328 #alex_volkov #ufc_white_house #waldo_cortes_acosta
Alexander Volkov Questions Alex Pereira's Ability to Defeat Ciryl Gane in Heavyweight Title Fight MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Alexander Volkov, a former Bellator champion and longtime UFC heavyweight staple, has expressed skepticism about Alex Pereira’s prospects in his upcoming title fight against Ciryl Gane. Volkov, who is set to return to the octagon this Saturday at UFC 328, believes Pereira’s transition to the heavyweight division may not be as seamless as many expect. Pereira, making his UFC heavyweight debut on June 14 at UFC Freedom Fights 250, will face Gane for the interim title, with champion Tom Aspinall sidelined due to an eye injury. Volkov, who has a 39-11 MMA record and 13-5 UFC record, emphasized Gane’s strengths during a media day interview. “Honestly, Ciryl is more favorite right now,” Volkov told MMA Junkie. “He has really great footwork. I respect Alex Pereira and his power, but I don’t know how he will show up in the heavyweight division. I don’t know how he will do with Ciryl Gane’s style in the octagon because Pereira needs to pressure the guy and work on counterattacks, and Ciryl Gane doesn’t give him the opportunity. He just punches and kicks and moves a lot. It’s a hard thing for Alex Pereira to solve in the fight. I’m not sure he can do this.” Volkov’s comments come ahead of his own fight at UFC 328, where he will face rising contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC). The Russian fighter, who has remained undefeated in his past six outings since 2022, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Gane but stressed his focus on controllable factors. “I’m trying to stay calm. I can’t let it affect me,” Volkov said. “I can’t do anything outside of things that depend on me. I don’t have any emotion on things that don’t depend on me.#alex_pereira #ciryl_gane #alexander_volkov #ufc_328 #tom_aspinall
