Alex Perez vs. Tatsuro Taira now expected to headline UFC event on June 15

Flyweights Alex Perez and Tatsuro Taira are expected to serve as the main event for the upcoming UFC Fight Night card scheduled on June 15 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.

Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Monday. Marcel Dorff first reported the matchup.

After knocking out Matheus Nicolau in a recent short-notice main event, Perez originally shifted gears to re-book a fight against Tagir Ulanbekov on the June 15 card. That was the bout he was supposed to take before shifting into the April main event slot against Nicolau.

Now Perez gets another headlining opportunity against a new opponent as he faces the undefeated Taira, who is widely considered one of the best UFC prospects at 125 pounds.

The 24-year-old Japanese flyweight holds a perfect 15-0 record in his career, including five straight UFC wins. Most recently, Taira dispatched Carlos Hernandez with a second-round knockout.

This marks his first appearance of 2024 after a previous bout against Tim Elliott was scrapped in May. Taira was then shifted to a fight with Joshua Van at UFC 302, but now he’ll get the chance to headline for the first time in the UFC against a one-time title challenger in Perez.