Joshua Van, a 24-year-old Mixed Martial Arts fighter known as “The Fearless,” mauled Japan’s Tatsuro Taira into a bloody mess at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight title co-main event on May 9.
Van successfully defended his 125-pound championship in the first title fight in UFC history contested between two Asian fighters by dominating with elite boxing, winning via stoppage at 1:32 of round five.
Van (17-2) seized control in the second round with a violent right hand to the jaw for the knockdown and he repeatedly bashed Taira (18-2) in the face.
Van failed to finish the round but continued to rip shots the rest of the rounds to the face and body that left Taira’s face and chest smeared with blood.
Van and Taira marked the first time UFC has a title fight with both competitors born in the 2000s.
The 24-year-old Van, of Myanmar, has won seven straight fights and 10 of 11 since he signed with UFC — and few bigger than in the co-main event of UFC’s 11th stop in Newark.
Taira failed in his try to become the first Japanese fighter to become UFC champion.
AP
