Alexandre Pantoja’s championship train rammed through the old guard and is taking on the new one. If he gets past Joshua Van this weekend, there is another next-gen star waiting for him. Who is it, you ask? Well, it’s none other than Tatsuro Taira. The flyweight star has bounced back from his loss to Brandon Royval in October last year with a win over HyunSung Park in August. Now, in his upcoming match, Taira is committed to maintaining the momentum.

With 17 victories and 1 loss in his professional career, Tatsuro Taira’s record speaks for itself. The 25-year-old is slated to square off against former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323 on December 6. And ahead of his clash against Mexico’s flyweight sensation, let us have a look at Taira’s nationality, beliefs, and so on.

Where is Tatsuro Taira from?

Born on January 27, 2000, Tatsuro Taira was always fascinated by the art of fighting. A native of Naha, Okinawa, Japan, he started his fighting career with the security that his parents never forced him to do anything that he didn’t like. Interestingly, Taira played baseball when he was in the third grade of elementary school. However, he was not passionate about the sport.

As of today, Taira is ranked No. 5 on UFC’s flyweight rankings and is about to face the No. 2-ranked contender in a bid to further his title dream. A dominant win could propel him to the top of the rankings and potentially get him a shot at Alexandre Pantoja. That being said, his parents have majorly contributed to Taira’s success.

Tatsuro Taira’s parents’ influence on his fighting career

Tatsuro Taira is already doing his nation a big service as he is one of the prospects for the flyweight title. Taira believes that Japan has many world-class fighters who could dominate the UFC as well. “There are many fighters from Japan who could compete and do well on the international stage today. I hope more fighters from Japan continue to get opportunities to represent the country in the UFC’s Octagon,” said Taira in a conversation with UFC.

He further added that if it had not been for his parents, then he would not have been here, “I never thought I was fighting like a veteran. This is just me. I have a lot of experience, and my parents did a great job of raising me, and I have a great team behind me. I want to continue competing at the highest level, and truly become a veteran of the UFC.”

How Tatsuro Taira’s older brother inspired his combat sports journey

Tatsuro Taira’s path to becoming one of Japan’s brightest MMA prospects took root before he ever took his first steps in a cage. And it started at home. When he was in junior high school, the 25-year-old wasn’t involved with MMA or fighting at all. But everything changed when his older brother began learning kickboxing at Palaestra Okinawa.

Obviously, his brother’s involvement in combat sports piqued his curiosity, and Taira followed him to the gym. While there, he was introduced to a world that would soon shape his future. He initially stepped away from club activities and began training, eventually coming under the guidance of Ryota Matsune. That’s when his true MMA journey took off.

“I started playing baseball at the age of 10 and continued till the age of 15. By then, my older brother brought me to the MMA gym, and that’s where I saw what MMA was, and nine years from then, I am here,” Taira told The Telegraph Online. He hasn’t looked back. 

The Japanese star is days away from clashing against Brandon Moreno. Do you believe that the Japanese fighter can continue winning? Will this be the turnaround moment of his career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.