Joshua Van Record: 18-2-0

Rise through the flyweight ranks

Van opened his UFC tenure in June 2023 with a split-decision win over Zhalgas Zhumagulov at UFC on ABC 5, then followed with a unanimous-decision victory against Kevin Borjas on the UFC 295 card in November 2023. He kept the momentum going with a second-round TKO of Felipe Bunes in January 2024. The lone hiccup came in July 2024, when Charles Johnson handed Van a third-round knockout loss — a setback he answered emphatically. He reeled off unanimous decisions over Edgar Cháirez at UFC 306 and Cody Durden at UFC 310 to close 2024 on a high.

Contender to champion

Van surged into title contention through 2025, decisioning unbeaten prospect Rei Tsuruya at UFC 313 in March, stopping Bruno Silva by third-round TKO at UFC 316, and outpointing former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC 317. That run earned him a shot at the belt, and in December 2025 at UFC 323 he claimed the UFC Flyweight Championship against Alexandre Pantoja via first-round TKO. He defended the title in his first outing at UFC 328 in May 2026, stopping the highly regarded Tatsuro Taira by fifth-round TKO.

Fighting style

Van is a relentless, high-output striker built around pace, body work and an iron chin. With a 17-2 record and a 65% finish rate, nine of his wins have come by knockout and two by submission, while six have gone to the scorecards — a profile that reflects both his finishing power and his ability to bank rounds when fights go long. He thrives in extended firefights, leaning on cardio and forward pressure to break opponents down, and his title defense over five rounds against Taira underlined his championship-level stamina. His one knockout loss to Johnson stands as the clearest reminder that his aggressive, come-forward approach can leave openings.

Career highlights

• UFC Flyweight Champion — captured the title at UFC 323 with a first-round TKO of Alexandre Pantoja, one of the division's most accomplished champions.
• First UFC fighter from Myanmar — became the promotion's first signing from Myanmar, carrying the banner for Chin State and Burmese fans onto the sport's biggest stage.
• Title defense over Tatsuro Taira — stopped the highly touted contender by fifth-round TKO at UFC 328, showcasing the pace and durability that define his game.