Why the UFC Should Highlight Its Men’s Flyweight Division More After UFC 328
UFC 328 takes place on May 9th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Fight fans can watch the event on Paramount+. The co-main event sees third-ranked Tatsuro 'The Best' Taira take on Men's Flyweight Champion Joshua 'The Fearless' Van for the strap. The days of the division potentially being scrapped are no more, but there's a stigma that they aren't a draw for the UFC and can't hold a main event, much less a numbered one. Here's why the UFC could take a chance and let the Men's Flyweight Division headline a numbered event after UFC 328.
The last time the division main evented a numbered card was during the elite reign of Demetrious' Mighty Mouse' Johnson. The belt has mostly been fought for during the co-main event of a numbered bout since then. The division was shaken up drastically last year when then-12th-ranked Van took on then-first-ranked Brandon' Raw Dawg' Royval at UFC 317 in what was arguably the Fight of the Year. Both men traded devastating significant strikes, bloodied each other up, and fought at a pace only the Men's Flyweight Division could blind us with. 'The Fearless's underdog story throughout the fight only helped him gain more fans, and when he knocked down 'Raw Dawg' at the closing moments of the final round, you could hear every fight fan in the arena lose their minds.
Most casual fight fans aren't used to watching a consistently fast-paced bout, much less between two top contenders. The Men's Flyweight Division seems top-heavy, like the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Divisions, but one thing going for it is that its top fighters haven't been showcased as much as those in the other divisions. Showcasing a division that doesn't normally get the spotlight could freshen things up for fans bored of the product and bring out the fans who appreciate the less recognizable divisions. Sure, memorable names help draw in money. Van became a recognizable name in a positive light after his war with Royval, but 'The Fearless' earned his share of haters and detractors after he celebrated the freak accident that cost Alexandre 'The Cannibal' Pantoja the title. People love to have a common enemy, and in the Men's Flyweight Division, the current champ is public enemy number one.
Speaking of Pantoja, he's recovered quite well since his freak accident at UFC 323. He's ramped up physical activities and started light sparring. 'The Cannibal' was the closest thing to a dominant Men's Flyweight Champion since the days of DJ as champ. Every one of Pantoja's title bouts, aside from the bout against Van, was a showcase of the former champ's skills. He was so much better than every one of his opponents. The fight could've gone differently if he hadn't injured himself. Many fight fans think the current champ is undeserving of the belt. Pantoja's dominance in the division could put him close to the front of the line for a title shot; he could arguably fight the winner of Taira vs. Van.
Taira is a legit threat in the division. He beat former two-time Men's Flyweight Champion Brandon 'The Assassin Baby' Moreno by second-round TKO, ironically, before the championship bout between Pantoja and Van. Six of 'The Best's eight victories were finishes: three submissions and three knockouts. He is arguably the most well-rounded fighter in the division, and he's currently a -180 favorite in the title fight against Van, according to the UFC. Van has a history of great takedown defense, but he hasn't been properly tested yet; 'The Cannibal' was supposed to test him. 'The Best' is a great substitute for that. He punishes his opponents on the ground and does whatever he wants with them. Should Taira obtain the belt, a fight with Pantoja would be electric, but there are a couple of other contenders in the division that could spice things up.
Many fans wanted to see the current champ take on Manel 'Starboy' Kape. Kape is similar to Van in that he also throws a lot of strikes and has a history of great takedown defense. While his first fight against Pantoja didn't go the way he wanted, 'Starboy' is a completely different fighter with years of experience since that bout, and he's learned from it. He's an entertaining fighter in the division who deserves a title shot sooner rather than later. Lone'er Kavanagh recently took out 'Assassin Baby' by TKO and is the sixth-ranked Men's Flyweight. A win over a top-five contender like 'Raw Dawg' would vault him into the title picture as it did with 'The Fearless'. Paramount, TKO, and Dana have a chance to make money by highlighting the division's history and capitalizing on Pantoja's dominance, Van's polarizing nature, and the rest of the division's blinding speed and skillset.
