Born in 2001 in Hakha, Chin State, Myanmar, Van is one of five siblings. Due to political instability, his family moved to Malaysia when he was 10, seeking a better life. In 2013, at age 12, they immigrated to Houston, Texas, and began building a new life.
Van began training in mixed martial arts (MMA) in Houston and turned professional in 2021. Competing in Fury Fighting Championship, he amassed an impressive 7-1 record. He notably won the flyweight title at Fury FC 72 on 18/12/2022, defeating Cleveland McLean via submission in the second round.
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Joshua Van (right) fights Zhalgas Zhumagulov in his UFC debut at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on 24/6/2023. Photo: USA TODAY |
Joshua Van (right) fights Zhalgas Zhumagulov in his UFC debut at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on 24/6/2023. Photo: USA TODAY
Signing with the UFC in 2023, Van won his first three fights. He defeated Zhalgas Zhumagulov and Kevin Borjas by decision, followed by a TKO victory against Felipe Bunes in January 2024.
After his first loss to Charles Johnson, Van rebounded with three consecutive wins against Edgar Chairez, Cody Durden, and Rei Tsuruya, solidifying his position in the flyweight division. He maintained his momentum with a third-round TKO of Bruno Gustavo da Silva at UFC 316 on 7/6/2025.
Van's opportunity arose when Manel Kape withdrew due to injury, leading to a matchup against former LFA flyweight champion and former UFC title contender Brandon Royval at UFC 317 on 28/6/2025. Van had only about three weeks to prepare after his victory against Bruno.
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Joshua Van (left) throws a punch at Brandon Royval in their flyweight bout at UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada on 28/6/2025. Photo: Zuffa LLC |
Joshua Van (left) throws a punch at Brandon Royval in their flyweight bout at UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada on 28/6/2025. Photo: Zuffa LLC
Despite being the underdog and having limited preparation, the 23-year-old secured the biggest win of his career, winning by decision with scores in rounds one and three. The fight saw a combined 419 significant strikes between Van and Royval, each landing over 200, breaking the UFC record for most significant strikes in a three-round fight and in a flyweight bout.
This victory propelled Van to number one contender status, setting up a title shot against the reigning flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil. This makes Van the first Southeast Asian-born fighter in history to compete for a UFC title.
"People said I wasn't ready for Royval, but I won," Van told MMA Fighting. "Now they're saying I'm not ready for the title. What will they say when I win the belt? I just try to do my job and work hard every day."
While not overconfident, Van believes he can defeat anyone in the flyweight division, including Pantoja. "Pantoja has beaten everyone, but fights depend on each fighter's style," Van explained. "Royval beat everyone except the champion, and I beat him. It's all subjective. In the end, even if I'm the best in the world, someone will try to put me down. I don't care about that."
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Alexandre Pantoja defeats Kai Kara-France by rear-naked choke at UFC 317. Photo: AP |
Alexandre Pantoja defeats Kai Kara-France by rear-naked choke at UFC 317. Photo: AP
Van's chances against Pantoja likely hinge on his ability to counter the Brazilian's grappling and submission skills. Of Pantoja's 30 wins, 12 have come by submission, including his victory over Kai Kara-France at UFC 317. With a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and strong wrestling, Pantoja can take down and submit almost any opponent.
Having only lost once by submission in his MMA career, Van is confident he can neutralize Pantoja's ground game. "I'm always confident. I just don't like cuddling another man in a fight," he quipped. "That's why people don't see my ground game. But when I'm in trouble, I wrestle too. When I need to use it, I will. Who in the UFC can keep me on the ground? I believe my coaches will find a way for me to beat the champion."
Compiled by Hong Duy
