Tatsuro Taira Talks Historic Finish Over Brandon Moreno At UFC 323: “He Was Weak”
Tatsuro Taira is basking in the moment after securing the biggest victory of his career so far. Last Saturday, Taira squared off against former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno in a pivotal matchup on the main card of UFC 323.
Taira opened the fight with a cautious approach before committing to a hard punch and a takedown attempt. “The Assassin Baby” countered with a triangle setup against the fence, but Taira stayed composed and worked free as the round ended.
In the second round, “The Best” shut down Moreno’s striking with another well-timed takedown, quickly taking the back and locking in a body triangle. After controlling Moreno on the canvas, he delivered steady ground-and-pound until referee Mark Smith seemingly saw enough damage and stopped the fight at 2:24 of the round, securing a TKO victory.
Despite the victory, many fans, along with Moreno and UFC commentators, felt the stoppage came too soon. Taira, however, stands by the referee’s decision, confident he was firmly in control and on track to secure the finish either way.
Tatsuro Taira Proud To Be First To Stop Brandon Moreno At UFC 323
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Tatsuro Taira reflected on his breakthrough win over Brandon Moreno at UFC 323. “The Best” noted with satisfaction in making history as the first fighter to ever finish the former flyweight titleholder.
The 25-year-old Japanese rising star also doubled down on his view that the stoppage was justified, insisting that Moreno was already fading and the finish was inevitable.
“Moreno had never lost by a finish,” Tatsuro Taira said. “I always said before the fight in interviews that I really wanted that finish, and I’m happy I was the first one to stop him. In my feeling, when I did the body lock and the takedown, I already started to feel it. Especially going to the ground, I felt that he was weak and didn’t have much power. I think it was the right stoppage. I never thought it was too early at the moment.
“Saturday night I beat Brandon Moreno and I’m happy. This is my favorite performance in the Octagon. It was a very big fight, a very important fight for me on a big card, pay-per-view and everything, but I did not feel nervous. I was just very excited. I love to show everyone what I can do.”
With this victory, “The Best” pushed his UFC record to 8–1. His lone setback came against former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC Vegas 98 in October 2024, but he has since rebounded with back-to-back finishes. That surge has now positioned him as a leading contender for a shot at the newly crowned 125-pound champion Joshua Van.
