Rei Tsuruya Returns With Luis Gurule in Macau After a Year
Rei Tsuruya returns to the Octagon in Macau this weekend against Luis Gurule, ending more than a year away from competition. The 23-year-old Japanese flyweight is back in a 125-pound division that has shifted around him since his last appearance.
UFC 313 and the Van loss
At UFC 313, Tsuruya stepped in on short notice for Bruno Silva and met Joshua Van, then a fighter who out-struck him by a considerable margin. Tsuruya lost his unbeaten record that night, a setback that now sits between his early UFC promise and the chance to climb again in Macau.
Tsuruya earned his roster spot by winning the flyweight tournament on Season 2 of Road to UFC, then opened his UFC run with a unanimous decision over Carlos Hernandez. That debut gave him a clean entry into the roster; the UFC 313 defeat changed the tone, especially with Van going on to compete four times in 2025 and close the year as champion after beating Tatsuro Taira earlier this month.
Gurule steps in at Macau
Gurule was originally scheduled to face Jesus Aguilar before stepping in after Aguilar was forced out with an undisclosed injury. He arrives off a unanimous decision win over Daniel Barez at the previous UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas, which gives Macau a matchup between a rising prospect trying to reset and a late replacement carrying recent momentum.
Tsuruya said he cut his hair short because it was in the way while training, and he now wears much shorter, spikier, bleached-blonde hair. The change is cosmetic, but the practical point is sharper: he says, “Weight-wise, there is nothing to worry about — I can focus more on the fight,” which leaves the fight itself as the only issue that matters in Macau.
Tsuruya wants to catch up
Tsuruya called the division crowded and fast-moving, saying, “I feel like I don’t want to be left (behind) — I want to catch up with all those top-flight contenders.” He added, “There are a lot of new guys coming in too, so I want to get on that ride,” and, “A lot of ranking changes every week as well. I hope I can be one of those rankers and contenders.” For a fighter who turned 23 back in March, this bout is the cleanest test of whether Macau can restart that climb.
Tsuruya does not need a long detour here; he needs a result. A win over Gurule would push him back into the conversation after the UFC 313 setback, while another loss would leave him trying to catch a division that has already moved on without him.
