Tatsuro Taira on burgers, baseball and “The Hangover”

Tatsuro Taira has been climbing the flyweight ladder, but until earlier this year he did so quietly.

The undefeated Taira of Japan won his first five UFC fights, including two consecutive submission performance bonuses – all in preliminary bouts. But earlier this year he seemingly unexpectedly made the jump to the main event of UFC on ESPN 58 in Las Vegas. His second-round TKO of Alex Perez earned him another $50,000 bonus.

Now he's set for a second straight headline appearance when he faces former title challenger Brandon Royval in the main event of UFC Fight Night 244. A win could give him a chance to secure a flyweight title shot.

Ahead of that show, scheduled for October 12 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+), Taira (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) sat down with MMA Junkie Radio and gave some insight into his life outside the cage.

Check out the video above to hear Taira's thoughts on burgers, baseball and more.

For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.