Method of Victory
DECISION
Decision or early TKO. Van looks for a stoppage with his volume striking. Taira will try to drag this to the ground — if he gets there, his submission game is dangerous. Van wins if he can keep it standing.
⚡FightIQ Analysis
Van is the pick here despite being the underdog. He lands 8.84 significant strikes per minute — the highest rate in flyweight history — and his takedown defense is elite at 81%. Taira is a world-class grappler but Van's pace and power give him a real path to a stoppage. Sharp money has moved toward Van all week. If Van can keep this on the feet and land clean, this ends early.
Risk Factors
- ⚠Taira has taken down 8 of 9 UFC opponents
- ⚠Van has only been training MMA for 5 years — ground game still developing
- ⚠Van's title win came via 26-second injury stoppage — small sample of championship performance
