Tatsuro Taira Returns with Crushing Victory at UFC Fight Night
The talented UFC flyweight fighter, Tatsuro Taira, demonstrated his recovery ability this Saturday by dominating HyunSung Park at the UFC Fight Night event.
Taira (17-1) managed to submit Park (10-1) with a face choke in the second round, marking his triumphant return after his first professional defeat.
The 25-year-old Japanese fighter showed his best version, adding his fifth finish since 2022, the most in his division.
The flyweight bout was put together on short notice. Taira was originally scheduled to face Amir Albazi at the UFC Apex, but Albazi withdrew the previous week for undisclosed medical reasons. The UFC turned to Park, who was scheduled to fight Steve Erceg the following week in Las Vegas.
The new combination turned out to be an uneven match. Taira knocked Park down with a right hand in the first minute and quickly took him to the ground. Park showed composure in recovering from the blow and avoiding Taira’s submission attempts, but could not break free from his opponent or get back on his feet.
In the second round, Taira wasted no time and took Park back to the ground. This time, Park couldn’t counter Taira’s superiority and quickly submitted to the choke. Taira has finished eight of his 17 victories by submission and another five by knockout.
The victory improves Taira’s UFC record to 7-1. Before Saturday, Taira was number 6 in the UFC flyweight rankings. Had he fought Albazi, he would have had the opportunity to face the division’s number 4 contender.
Park, who signed with the company in 2023, was unranked before the weekend.
