Van's pace, volume, and takedown defense make him dangerous early, but his high strike absorption and defensive openings give Taira plenty of entries to clinch, chain wrestle, and create back-take/scramble scenarios. Taira's superior submission threat and top control, combined with Van's willingness to exchange and stand tall in the pocket, favor Taira dragging this into grappling sequences where his finishing rate and positional awareness are significantly higher.