Joshua Van

MMA Flyweight (57 kg)

UFC champion at just 24: Joshua Van, born in Myanmar and raised in Houston, is the second-youngest titleholder in UFC history and the face of an entirely new generation of flyweights.

Profile

The story

Joshua Van Bawi Thawng was born in Hakha, in Myanmar’s Chin State, as one of five children. Due to the political and military unrest in his homeland, the family first moved to Malaysia and, when Joshua was ten years old, eventually to Houston, Texas. His father died in 2017, after which Van continued living with his mother.

Van made his professional MMA debut in 2021 with Texas-based Fury Fighting Championship, where he compiled an impressive 7-1 record and captured the vacant flyweight title at the end of 2022. This run of results brought him to the UFC in 2023, where he made history on his debut as the first fighter of Myanmar origin ever to sign a UFC contract.

In 2024, Van suffered his first UFC loss by knockout to Charles Johnson. He bounced back with a series of victories, culminating in his fight against Brandon Royval in June 2025. At UFC 323 in December 2025, his title fight against Alexandre Pantoja was stopped after 26 seconds due to a shoulder injury suffered by Pantoja, after which Van became champion.

In May 2026, Van successfully defended the title against Tatsuro Taira. As of September 2026, he is preparing for a rematch against Pantoja at UFC 331.

In the ring

Fighting style

He is known for his unusually high output and precision: he combines a fast hand speed with changing angles and exceptional accuracy, and ranks among the most active strike generators in UFC history based on significant strikes per minute. His style is often described as freestyle—unpredictable, with flashy combinations and an instinct to keep attacking even when behind, complemented by a solid grappling foundation.

Results

Performance

UFC flyweight champion since December 2025; second-youngest champion in UFC history at 24 years and 57 days; first UFC champion born in the 2000s; fastest knockout ever in a UFC flyweight title fight at 26 seconds; highest striking accuracy ever in the flyweight division at 57.4%; two Fight of the Night bonuses against Royval and Taira; multiple Breakout Fighter of the Year honors from ESPN, Sherdog, and MMA Junkie for his breakout year in 2025.

Over the years

Timeline

2021: Professional MMA debut at Fury FC.

2022: Wins the vacant Fury FC flyweight title.

2023: UFC debut, becoming the first UFC fighter from Myanmar.

2024: First UFC loss, by knockout against Charles Johnson.

2025: Record-setting fight against Brandon Royval in June and title win against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323 in December.

2026: Successful title defense against Tatsuro Taira in May; rematch against Pantoja scheduled for September 19 at UFC 331.

Influence

Legacy

As the first champion ever born in Myanmar and one of the youngest titleholders in UFC history, Van has become a symbol of the increasingly international and younger generation in combat sports. His high-tempo, statistically record-breaking style has given the flyweight division a new, attack-oriented identity.