A flyweight clash has been added to the Ultimate Fighting
Championship’s card in Shanghai, China, on Dec. 9.
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Undefeated Japanese standout Tatsuro
Taira (14-0) will take on Carlos
Hernandez (9-2) at an event that marks the Las Vegas-based
promotion’s return to China after four years. Both fighters
confirmed the pairing on social media following an initial report
from Eurosport
NL.
Taira last fought at UFC 290 in July, notching a dominant decision
win over Edgar
Chairez. While the 23-year-old was originally scheduled to take
on Kleyson Rodrigues at UFC Jacksonville in June, the fight fell
through after the Brazilian missed weight by three pounds. Taira’s
win over Chairez marked his fourth promotional win in 14 months,
which includes two submissions.
Meanwhile, Hernandez is coming off a technical decision win over
Denys
Bondar back in June. After dominating Bondar throughout the
fight, the American landed a last-minute takedown and proceeded to
land vicious ground-and-pound, forcing the referee to step in with
a second left on the clock. However, Hernandez’s first UFC stoppage
win was reversed as footage revealed that the finish came via an
accidental clash of heads. The fight then went to the judges’
scorecards, which had Hernandez winning 30-27 (twice) and 29-28.
The win saw Hernandez bounce back from his first UFC loss against
Allan
Nascimento and improve his promotional record to 2-1.
The UFC Shanghai card will also feature four finale fights from the
latest season of “Road to UFC.” The promotion has yet to reveal
details regarding the main event for the card.