By:  | June 28, 2023 10:29 am

Tatsuro Taira has another fight booked. The Japanese flyweight will be facing Edgar Chairez at UFC 290 which is set for Las Vegas on July 8th.

Taira saw his UFC on ABC 5 fight with Kleydson Rodriguez cancelled at the last minute last weekend when the Brazilian couldn’t make weight. But he won’t have to wait too long to make his fourth appearance inside the octagon.

Taira will be staying in the US for longer than anticipated. But he will also be competing on a much bigger card than originally expected, a pay per view event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Bonus winning

Taira (13-0) won’t be fighting a ranked opponent for the first time, something he clearly aspires to do. He was the reigning Shooto flyweight champion when he signed with the UFC and has won three out of three inside the octagon.

Taira made his UFC debut less than a year ago, earning a decision win over Carlos Candelario. That was a solid enough performance from the 23 year old but his next two wins were spectacular.

At UFC Vegas 62 he submitted CJ Vergara with a second round armbar and was handed a $50,000 USD performance bonus for his efforts. He would repeat the feat just three month’s later.

At UFC Vegas 67 last month he faced Jesus Aguilar. Taira won with a triangle armbar in the second round and was awarded another $50,000 USD performance bonus to cap off what must have been a lucrative year.

Baptism of fire

Chairez (10-4) is coming off back to back submission wins. But he had his opportunity to earn a UFC contract last year through Dana White’s Contender Series and ended up losing by decision to Clayton Carpenter.

It is possible that the UFC matchmakers were so impressed by the Mexican’s recent submission wins that they decided to sign him anyway. But it is also possible that he was the only flyweight they could find who was willing to face Taira on less than three week’s notice.

Best of the rest

The event will be headlined by a featherweight unification fight. Regular champion Alex Volkanovski (25-2) faces interim champion Yair Rodríguez (15-3).

The flyweight belt will also be on the line in Las Vegas. Champion Brandon Moreno (21-6-2) will be defending his belt against Alexandre Pantoja (25-5), who has already beaten him once on a UFC card and once on The Ultimate Fighter.

UFC 290, Las Vegas, July 8th
Alex Volkanovski (c) vs. Yair Rodríguez (ic) (For featherweight title)
Brandon Moreno (c) vs. Alexandre Pantoja (For flyweight title)
Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus du Plessis (Middleweight)
Jalin Turner vs. Dan Hooker (Lightweight)
Bo Nickal vs. Tresean Gore (Middleweight)
Robbie Lawler vs. Niko Price (Welterweight)
Sean Brady vs. Jack Della Maddalena (Welterweight)
Yazmin Jauregui vs. Denise Gomes (Strawweight)
Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield (Light Heavyweight)
Vitor Petrino vs. Marcin Prachnio (Light Heavyweight)
Cameron Saaiman vs. Terrence Mitchell (Bantamweight)
Shannon Ross vs. Jesús Santos Aguilar (Flyweight)
Kamuela Kirk vs. Esteban Ribovics (Lightweight)
Tatsuro Taira vs. Edgar Chairez (Flyweight)