Michael Bisping thinks a rising UFC flyweight needs one more fight before competing for gold.
This past Saturday, Tatsuro Taira took on Hyun Sung Park in the main event of UFC Vegas 108. Taira secured a second-round submission finish via neck crank. Taira made it clear after the fight that he feels ready to meet reigning UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja.
Michael Bisping was on commentary duties for the broadcast, and he believes Taira still has some work to do before he gets a world title shot (via MMAJunkie).
“He calls for a title fight. I get that, but I was like, ‘You’ve got to have one more fight first,’” Bisping said on the UFC on ESPN 71 broadcast. “I’m not the matchmaker. I don’t make those decisions, but that seems logical. It would seem he would have to have one more fight. Who should that fight be against?
“I’ve got a choice: It is the former champion Brandon Moreno. Tell me you don’t want to see that fight? That would show you the level of Tatsuro Taira and also allow Brandon Moreno to get back in the mix – not that he’s not in the mix, of course.”
The win over Park is a nice bounce back win for Taira, who was coming off a split decision defeat to Brandon Royval. Taira will likely need another victory before getting a crack at flyweight gold, as Pantoja is expected to put his gold at stake against Joshua Van in the near future. Van scored a unanimous decision win over Royval in a “Fight of the Year” candidate.
If Bisping’s suggestion for Taira vs. Moreno comes to fruition, it would be a huge test for the young Japanese star. Moreno, a former multiple-time UFC champion, has scored two straight wins over Steve Erceg and Amir Albazi.
