Issue 227

March 2026

This is the moment before everything fell apart for Alex Perez. Tatsuro Taira is pictured here laying the groundwork for something special. This is the shot that softened the structure, disrupted the base, and quietly opened the door for one of the strangest finishes you’ll see in a main event. Seconds later, Taira would wrap that now-signature body triangle from his back, forcing Perez into a scramble that ended with a knee injury and a TKO. At 26 years old and boasting an impressive 18-1 record, with the Flyweight Championship on the line against Joshua Van at UFC 327 this April, the stakes have never been higher. The question isn't just whether Taira can find a way to win. It’s whether anyone can stop the momentum of Japan’s first potential male UFC champion once he starts building these types of sequences that few can see coming.

Fight Date: June 15, 2024

Location: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, NV