Overview
- The co-main event in Newark on Saturday at UFC 328 features the 125-pound title on the line between Van and Taira in the first UFC championship bout between fighters born this century and the first between two Asia-born athletes.
- Taira can become the first undisputed UFC champion from Japan with a win, a milestone that would cap his rise from Shooto Japan titleholder to UFC contender.
- Van claimed the belt at UFC 323 when Alexandre Pantoja dislocated his elbow 26 seconds into their bout, a finish Taira called not a real win, which Van dismissed in media interviews.
- FanDuel lists Taira as the betting favorite, while a sampling of pro fighters polled by BJPenn.com mostly picked Van to keep the belt.
- The matchup was pushed from UFC 327 to 328 after a short injury layoff for Van, and Taira prepared in Denver with Cory Sandhagen and Brandon Royval to round out his game.