Tatsuro Taira (平良達郎, Taira Tatsurō, born January 27, 2000)[3] is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of June 18, 2024, he is #5 in the UFC flyweight rankings.[4] Taira is the first and only fighter to date born in the 2000s to fight in and win a UFC main event.
Background
Taira started playing baseball in the third grade of elementary school but was not passionate about it and took a break in junior high school from club activities. Influenced by his older brother who was learning kickboxing at The Palaestra Okinawa, he started attending the gym in his first year of high school and trained in mixed martial arts under Ryota Matsune's guidance.[3][5] In 2017, he won the 11th Kyushu Amateur Shooto Championship tournament and the 24th All-Japan Amateur Shooto Championship tournament, and was promoted to the professional ranks with a record of ten wins in ten amateur Shooto fights.[6][7]
He lists Marlon Vera as his favorite fighter, and Vera himself sent a message to Taira in Japanese, saying "Thank you."[8]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
On August 3, 2018, he made his professional debut against Yo Otake in the first round of the flyweight division of the Shooto Rookie of the Year Tournament, winning by first-round triangle choke. On November 25, 2018, he rematched Ryu Oyakawa, whom he fought twice as an amateur, in the flyweight final of the Shooto Newcomer's Championship Tournament, winning by first-round guillotine choke. He won the flyweight rookie champion and MVP of the same year.[9]
On September 22, 2019, he fought Takahiro Kobori, ranked #8 in the Shooto World Flyweight Rankings, and won by TKO via ground & pound 60 seconds into the fight.
Taira was next scheduled to face Kiyotaka Shimizu at Shooto 0329 on March 29, 2020.[10] However, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] The bout was then rebooked to take place at Shooto 1123 on November 23, 2020 and he won the fight via unanimous decision.[12][13]
Won by rear-naked choke 61 seconds into the match against Yoshiro Maeda, ranked #5 in the world flyweight division by Shooto, on March 20, 2021.[14]
On July 4, 2021, he faced champion Tatsuya Fukuda at the Shooto World Flyweight Championship and won by first-round triangle choke to win the title.[15]
On November 6, 2021, he fought LFN flyweight champion Alfredo Muaiad at VTJ 2021 and won by first-round rear-naked choke.[16]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
On February 4, 2022, he signed a multi-fight contract with the UFC.[17]
On April 30, 2022, he was scheduled to fight Carlos Candelario at UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Vera, but the fight was cancelled after Candelario pulled out due to food poisoning just before the event.[18]
The fight against Candelario was rescheduled for two weeks later on May 14, 2022, at UFC on ESPN: Błachowicz vs. Rakić. He won the fight by unanimous decision.[19]
On October 15, 2022, he faced C.J. Vergara at UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Araújo, winning by armbar submission in the second round.[20] Taira won the Performance of the Night bonus.[21] The fight took place under the condition that Vergara pay 30% of the fight money to Taira because Vergara weighed 3 pounds over the flyweight limit at the previous day's weigh-in.[22]
On May 21, 2023, at Professional Shooto 2023 Vol. 3, he vacated his Shooto Flyweight Championship, stating that he could not defend his Shooto title as he would be fighting in the UFC.[25]
On June 24, 2023, he was scheduled to face off against Kleydson Rodrigues at UFC on ABC: Emmett vs. Topuria, but the bout was canceled after Rodrigues weighed 3 pounds (1.3 kg) over the flyweight limit the day before the weigh-in.[26]
Taira was rebooked for a week later at UFC 290 against UFC newcomer Edgar Chairez in a 130-pound catchweight bout.[27] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[28]
Taira faced Carlos Hernandez on December 9, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 233[31] He won the fight via knockout in round two.[32]
Taira was scheduled to face Tim Elliott on May 18, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 241.[33] However, due to Elliott's undisclosed injury, the bout was canceled.[34] Taira was then scheduled to face Joshua Van on June 1, 2024 at UFC 302.[34] The fight was then switched and Taira ended up headlining UFC on ESPN 58 against Alex Perez in the main event on June 15, 2024.[35] Taira won the fight by technical knockout as a result of Perez's knee injury in the second round.[36] This fight earned him another Performance of the Night award.[37]
