Meet the UFC 323 star inspired by Manny Pacquiao hoping to become youngest champion since Jon Jones

Dec 3, 2025 - 17:45

Joshua Van has been on a rapid rise to the UFC’s summit in the last year.

On Saturday, the 24-year-old becomes the first fighter born in the 2000s to challenge for a UFC title.

Joshua Van of Myanmar faces off with Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil in the UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC 317 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. — Van, left, challenges Alexandre Pantoja for the flyweight title at UFC 323 on Saturday

He faces dominant flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in the co-main event of UFC 323, where a victory could act as the catalyst for a legacy similar to the likes of Jon Jones and Jose Aldo.

Van was born in war-torn Myanmar in October 2001, but his family quickly migrated to the United States, seeking a better life.

An immediate culture shock set in as ‘The Fearless’ adapted to a new environment, not being able to speak English, while being bullied regularly.

Speaking on the UFC 323 Countdown, Van recalled how a conversation with his auntie about eight-weight world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao prompted a shift in his life towards his MMA career.

Joshua Van: My auntie told me to fight like Manny Pacquiao, so I started MMA

“I got bruises on my face when I fought,” Van said, reflecting on the time when he stood up to his bullies.

“I would go home, and my auntie would say, ‘Hey, you think you’re a real man?

“Anybody can fight on the street, a real man fights for his family, his country, just look at Manny Pacquiao.”

The Southeast Asian native continued: “[My auntie] basically called me a b**** without saying it.

“That night I couldn’t sleep. But then I decided I was going to train.

“So I searched up the closest gym near me, and that’s when I started fighting.”

Joshua Van of Myanmar walks to the Octagon in a flyweight bout during the UFC 317 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada — Van left Myanmar as a child before falling in love with MMA after being told to fight like Manny Pacquiao

Joshua Van of Myanmar fights Bruno Silva of Brazil in the flyweight bout during UFC 316 at the Prudential Center on June 07, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey — ‘The Fearless’ stopped Bruno Silva at UFC 316 and was called up to fight No. 1 contender Brandon Royval just three weeks later

Joshua Van of Myanmar strikes Brandon Royval in a flyweight bout during the UFC 317 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada — He outpointed Royval after a three-round war to earn his shot at Pantoja’s title

What is Van’s MMA record?

Van is 15-2 in the sport and began his amateur career at Fury FC in December 2020, going undefeated in his first four bouts in just six months before turning professional.

He continued to find his feet in the promotion that launched the career of Kimbo Slice, winning the Fury FC flyweight title just two years after his amateur debut.

Then the UFC call came, and Van outpointed current Oktagon flyweight champion Zhalgas Zhumagulov on his June 2023 debut.

Van won his next two fights before tasting just his second career defeat to Charles Johnson at UFC Denver.

However, having already bounced back from defeat in his short career, Van embarked on an incredible five-fight winning streak that brought him to where he is today.

Should he inflict Pantoja’s first UFC defeat in over five years, Van will become the second-youngest champion in the promotion’s history behind Jones.

Youngest UFC champions of all-time

Jon Jones: 23 years, eight months (8,644 days)
Jose Aldo: 24 years, two months (8,838 days)
Josh Barnett: 24 years, four months (8,898 days)
Carlos Newton: 24 years, eight months (9,026 days)
Frank Mir: Won title 26 days after 25th birthday (9,144 days)

Joshua Van of Myanmar is interviewed by Joe Rogan in a flyweight bout during the UFC 317 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada — Van can overtake Aldo as the second-youngest champion in UFC history if he beats Pantoja

Jones was 23 years old (8,644 days) when he stopped Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 to become Dana White‘s youngest-ever champion.

The record has never been broken since, although Aldo came close when he was crowned the inaugural UFC featherweight champion at 24 years old (8,838 days) in November 2010.

In his last fight, Van scored his third win of 2025 by outpointing Brandon Royval in a No. 1 contender, $50,000 winning Fight of the Night bout at UFC 317.

“He’s a great champion, but he ain’t ever fought Joshua Van,” he told Joe Rogan before facing off with Pantoja.

Pantoja had made his fourth flyweight title defence on that night in Las Vegas, after Van defeated Royval to decide the next challenger to the Brazilian’s throne.

‘The Cannibal’ won the belt at 125lbs for the first time in July 2023 by outpointing Brandon Moreno, who fights Tatsuro Taira at UFC 323 to potentially decide who will face the winner of Pantoja vs Van.

Activity has been key to the champion’s success, just like Van, who will contest his sixth fight since September 2024 when he faces Pantoja.

He accepted the call to fight Royval in a No. 1 contender bout with ‘no hesitation’ just three weeks after he stopped Bruno Silva on June 7 at UFC 316.

‘The Fearless’ will be 8,823 days old when he fights for the title on Saturday, and victory will make him the second-youngest UFC champion in history.