Joshua Van entered UFC 323 confident in his abilities, and his win only reinforced that belief. In the co-main event, the 24-year-old claimed the UFC flyweight championship in just 26 seconds when Alexandre Pantoja suffered an arm injury, stopping the fight immediately.
“F*ck them,” Van said at the post-fight press conference. “If you do good, they will talk shit and if you do bad, they will talk shit, so do what makes you happy. It don’t matter what they think. I won.”
Van’s rapid ascent to the top has been remarkable. Debuting in 2021, he accumulated a 15-2 record over four years, defeating opponents like Brandon Royval, Bruno Silva, and Cody Durden to earn his title shot.
Joshua Van becomes:
– The 2nd youngest UFC champion in UFC history
– The first champion from Myanmar descent
– The first champion to hail from Southeast Asiapic.twitter.com/Zgon2ROipe— MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) December 7, 2025
Respect for the Former Champion
Despite the unusual ending, Van expressed respect for Pantoja and eagerness for a rematch once the former champion recovers.
“This whole week, it was kill or be killed,” Van said. “I knew I was going to win the fight, but I didn’t want the fight to end that way, for sure. As soon as he’s recovered, I want to run it back. I respect him so much. He’s one of the greatest of all time and things like that, so I do want to run it back with him.”
While the timing of a rematch remains uncertain, Van has also acknowledged Tatsuro Taira, another young contender who impressed at UFC 323 with a knockout of former champion Brandon Moreno.
“He looked great tonight,” Van said. “Like I said, I do want to give the champ—I mean, I am the champ now—but I do want to give Pantoja a rematch for sure, but like I said, whatever the UFC wants. Whatever it is, they’ve got my number.”
Van’s debut as a champion shows a mix of confidence and respect, highlighting the rapid trajectory of his career and hinting at exciting possibilities for the flyweight division moving forward.
