Jason Burgos
On Saturday night at UFC 328, the flyweight title was on the line when current champion Joshua Van defended his recently won title for the first time against talented Japanese grappler Tatsuro Taira. Early on, it looked like the challenger might dominate with his ground game. However, the champ was patient and let his fists do the talking.
Over fight-hard-fought rounds, Van’s striking wore Taira out, and he eventually scored a technical knockout in the fifth and final round. Following the UFC 328 main event, let’s see where Van and Taira land in our updated UFC flyweight rankings.
10. Steve Erceg (14-4)
Australian Steve Erceg got off to a fast start in the UFC by winning three straight. The 11-fight win streak overall earned him a title shot two years ago against then-champion Alexandre Pantoja. However, “Astroboy” struggled in the deep end of the flyweight pool. Losing to the Brazilian and then in his next two against top-five fighters.
However, he has bounced back with a pair of important wins. The most recent came against top-15 stalwart Tim Elliot in May. The victories have helped earn his way back into our UFC flyweight rankings.
9. Lone’er Kavanagh (10-1)
Despite a 3-1 record in the UFC, England’s Lone’er Kavanagh lands a spot in our latest UFC flyweight rankings. The reason is a massive upset win in March over division legend Brandon Moreno. The 26-year-old came in on short notice and had to adjust to the high altitude of Mexico City, yet it didn’t matter as he scored a career-defining win over the former champion in his hometown.
8. Asu Almabayev (22-3)
Former M1 and Brave CF star Asu Almabayev entered the UFC having won 13 straight. He extended his hot streak inside the Octagon by winning his first four fights and scored victories over top 15 fighters Matheus Nicolau and Ode Osbourne. Unfortunately, when he took a big step up in competition against Manel Kape in March, he suffered his first loss in eight years.
However, he has bounced back from the setback with a pair of victories, including a big submission win over top-15 stalwart Alex Perez in November.
7. Brandon Royval (17-9)
Brandon Royval has quietly been one of the best 125-pound fighters in the world for quite some time. While he has come up short in some big fights, he owns a few impressive victories, including one over former division king Brandon Moreno.
However, fighting the best constantly comes with risk. At UFC 317, he took on the challenge of rising star Joshua Van and was surprisingly outgunned by the 23-year-old. Then, in December, he headlined a UFC Fight Night card against dangerous striker Manel Kape and was on the wrong end of the first knockout loss of his career.
6. Brandon Moreno (22-10-2)
Few flyweights have been better than Brandon Moreno. He has been in some of the greatest fights in the division’s history and is a two-time champion. However, father time comes for all legends and he has been tapping on the Mexican’s shoulder in recent years.
Moreno was 3-2 heading into a clash in his home country against prospect Lone’er Kavanagh and needed a win to stay on the fringe of the title conversation. Unfortunately, he was on the wrong end of a surprise upset in Mexico City. There is a real possibility that it was the last time fans saw Moreno in the Octagon.
5. Kyoji Horiguchi (36-5)
After leaving the UFC nearly a decade ago, Kyoji Horiguchi had a fantastic run outside the company and has long been viewed as the best flyweight not in the UFC. In November of 2025, the former dual Rizin and Bellator champion made his triumphant return to the promotion with an impressive decision win over Tagir Ulanbekov.
The Japanese star returned in February and got a stiff test from Amir Albazi. However, he once again outclassed one of the better flyweights in the world. After his latest victory, Horiguchi may be one win away from a title fight in 2026.
4. Manel Kape (22-7)
It hasn’t always been easy for Manel Kape in the UFC, but “Starboy” remains one of the division’s most exciting fighters. In his last eight fights, he is 7-1 with five finishes. One of the biggest knocks on his Octagon resume was the lack of marquee wins. Well, he got that in December.
In a UFC Fight Night headlining role, he took on top-five stalwart Brandon Royval, and Kape scored a massive first-round knockout win. He is as close as ever to a title shot in 2026.
3. Tatsuro Taira (18-2)
It has been a very long time since Japan has had a fighter representing the country at the highest levels of the sport. However, former Shooto champ Tatsuro Taira has emerged as one of the best flyweights in the world by winning eight of his first nine fights in the Octagon.
The impressive run earned him a title opportunity at UFC 328. However, despite landing a bunch of take-downs on Joshua Van, he was badly outmatched on the feet and suffered the first knockout loss of his career in the fifth and final round of a close fight.
2. Alexandre Pantoja (30-6) – Top Contender
Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja has had a long, hard road to becoming the UFC flyweight king. He toiled away inside the division for years before he was finally able to earn a title fight at UFC 290. In his first chance at being champion, he made good by scoring a second (third unofficial) win over division king Brandon Moreno.
He has been on a roll ever since and is putting himself in the discussion as one of the best 125ers of all time. At UFC 317, he extended his win streak to eight straight with another dominant win, this time over Kai Kara-France. Pantoja has a case as the best flyweight ever, not named Demetrious Johnson.
1. Joshua Van (16=7-2) – Champion
Joshua Van has become one of the flyweight division’s most exciting and dominant fighters after winning 10 of his 11 fights inside the Octagon. After a surprise loss to Charles Johnson in 2024, “The Fearless” caught fire and has won six straight.
While his title win at UFC 323 was controversial, he quieted many of his doubters in May when he overcame a bunch of takedowns from Tatsuro Taira and scored an impressive fifth-round TKO in his first title defense. Former champ Alexandre Pantoja will surely be next.
