Athletes
Tatsuro Taira | Experience Is Everything
After Suffering His First Career Loss, Tatsuro Taira Believes He Is An Even More Dangerous Version Of Himself Heading Into UFC Fight Night: Taira vs Park
Tatsuro Taira knew what he needed to do when Brandon Royval handed him his first professional loss in October 2024.
The split decision verdict highlighted a few flaws in Taira’s game, and the 25-year-old from Japan believes he put those lessons into action in the lead-up to his third straight main event at UFC Fight Night: Taira vs Park.
Originally set to fight Amir Albazi, Taira is now occupying the place of the experienced veteran against HyunSung Park, a graduate of the Road to UFC tournament and winner of his first two UFC bouts.
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“(Royval) taught me how important experience is,” Taira told UFC.com. “It’s my turn now to tell (Park) that being experienced is (important).”
Going toe-to-toe with a former title challenger for 25 minutes is no small accomplishment, even in defeat. Taira pushed Royval for five rounds, although the judges gave the split nod to the Colorado-native.
Taira sought out some of the best in the game to diversify his training, including spending time with former bantamweight title challengers Marlon “Chito” Vera and Cory Sandhagen. With that in tow, Taira is feeling ready for anything Park may throw his way on August 2.
“I needed to get better, get my level higher,” Taira said. “I really worked hard in my training.”
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A piece of his confidence also comes from recent experiences, particularly dealing with the main event spotlight. His first such opportunity came in June 2024, when he faced former title challenger Alex Perez. Taira stepped up in his biggest fight to that point and earned a victory. Although Perez’s injured knee prompted the stoppage, Taira fought well to that point.
He felt even more confident after a near half-hour against Royval, too, and that is why he feels ready to give his best performance yet.
“Overall, I wanted to become a better fighter,” he said. “No matter who my opponent is, I just wanted to be confident I could win and prepare the best that I can.”
The stakes of the main event shifted considerably when Albazi pulled out of the matchup. What was supposed to be a matchup of two younger flyweights on the edge of the title picture is now one in which Taira could possibly show the different level he is on compared with a young and exciting prospect in Park. The South Korean has impressed at each stage of his career, collecting nine finishes on his way to a 10-0 professional record.
The way Taira talks about his approach to the fight, it seems like he hopes to control the pace, particularly as Park has gone into the third round just twice in his career so far.
If victorious, Taira believes he is still another win away from challenging for the flyweight title. He felt as much when he was scheduled against Albazi, but his goal at the moment is to put all his work on display in the familiar confines of the UFC APEX.
“Seeing that fight between Royval and Joshua Van (at UFC 317) inspired me a lot and gave me energy,” Taira said. “I can’t be sloppy. I need to keep working, and I’m definitely excited to bring this flyweight battle.”
Approaching his headlining slot with “more excitement than nervousness,” it’s easy to forget the Okinawa native is still just 25 years old. He was never precious about his unblemished record,even as he kept his undefeated mark for the first six fights of his UFC career. It’s always been about getting better and proving he is the best.
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On August 2, he goes again.
“I will take the win,” he said. “I will beat him, and all my fans will be excited about me being in the title picture.”
UFC Fight Night: Taira vs Park took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 2, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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