What happened: Joshua Van reflected on his first flyweight title defense against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328, telling Ariel Helwani he believed he could have ended the fight in the third round. Van said he rushed a rear-naked choke attempt and thought at one point Taira was out. The champion ultimately stopped Taira in the fifth round to retain the belt.

Why it matters: The reflection adds context to a defining performance for the 24-year-old champion, who came in as the underdog narrative against a heavily favored grappler. Van's willingness to critique his own finishing instinct signals a champion focused on closing fights cleanly going forward, which matters for how oddsmakers price his next title defense.

What to watch: Watch for the UFC to announce Van's next flyweight title challenger and for Taira's rebuild path after the fifth-round stoppage loss.