Van TKOs Taira in 5th round to retain UFC flyweight title

Joshua Van topped Tatsuro Taira in a wild, back-and-forth fight to retain the UFC flyweight championship.

Van finished Taira with punches at the 1:32 mark of the fifth round in the UFC 328 co-main event Saturday night at Prudential Center in Newark.

Van, 24, defended the 125-pound title for the first time since seizing the throne against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323 last December. He handed Taira, 26, just the second loss of his professional career. Taira was attempting to become the first Japanese-born UFC champion.

Taira took Van to the canvas early in the bout, but Van's crisp boxing took over as the fight progressed.

Now riding a seven-fight winning streak, Van lifted his Octagon record to 10-1 and his professional record to 17-2.

Taira suffered the first stoppage loss of his career. The No. 3-ranked flyweight entered the bout on a two-fight winning streak.