Joshua Van

Joshua Van Bawi Thawng (; born October 10, 2001) is a Burmese and American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current UFC Flyweight Champion. Van is the first fighter from Myanmar to sign with the promotion. At UFC 323, he became the UFC's second Asian-born male champion and the first champion to be born in the 2000s. As of September 1, 2026, he is #10 in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

Background Van was born on October 10, 2001 in Hakha, in the Chin State of western Myanmar, to a family of five siblings. Due to a country ridden with military and political conflict, his family moved to Malaysia, when he was ten. In 2013, at the age of twelve, Van migrated with his family to the United States, settling in Houston.

Mixed martial arts career Early career Van made his professional MMA debut in 2021. He fought exclusively for Fury Fighting Championship, where he acquired a 7–1 record including in the main event of Fury FC 72 on December 18, 2022, where he submitted Cleveland McLean in the second round to win the promotion's Flyweight title.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Van was scheduled to face Kevin Borjas on August 8, 2023, at Dana White's Contender Series 57, but he was pulled in order to face Zhalgas Zhumagulov at UFC on ABC 5 on June 24, 2023. This made him the first Burmese fighter to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The bout between Van and Borjas was rescheduled on November 11, 2023, at UFC 295. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Van faced Felipe Bunes, replacing Denys Bondar on January 13, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 234. He won the fight by second-round technical knockout.

Van was scheduled to face Lucas Rocha, replacing Jose Johnson on April 6, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 240. However, Rocha withdrew due to injury and the bout was scrapped.

Van was scheduled to face Su Mudaerji on June 1, 2024, at UFC 302. However, Su pulled out in late April due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Tatsuro Taira. In turn, both fighters were moved to UFC on ESPN 58 on June 15, 2024 and Van ended up being scheduled to face Tagir Ulanbekov instead. However, the bout was cancelled when Ulanbekov weighed in at 129.5 pounds, three and a half pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit.

Van faced Charles Johnson on July 13, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 59. He lost the fight via knockout in the third round.

Van faced Édgar Cháirez, replacing Kevin Borjas on September 14, 2024, at UFC 306. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Van faced Cody Durden on December 7, 2024, at UFC 310. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Van was scheduled to face Bruno Gustavo da Silva on March 8, 2025, at UFC 313. However, Silva pulled out due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Road to UFC Season 2 flyweight winner Rei Tsuruya. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

Van's bout with Bruno Gustavo da Silva was rescheduled and took place on June 7, 2025 at UFC 316. Van won the fight by technical knockout late into the third round.

Van stepped in on three weeks short notice to face former LFA Flyweight Champion and UFC Flyweight Championship challenger Brandon Royval at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025, after Manel Kape was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a broken foot. Van won the fight against Royval by unanimous decision. This fight earned him his first Fight of the Night award. Van and Royval landed a total of 419 significant strikes, which broke the record for most significant strikes landed in a three-round UFC fight and flyweight bout.

Flyweight Championship Van faced Alexandre Pantoja for the UFC Flyweight Championship on December 6, 2025 at UFC 323. Van defeated Pantoja by technical knockout 26 seconds into the first round when Pantoja sustained an arm injury from falling to the canvas, after having a kick attempt caught by Van. At 24 years old, Van became the second-youngest champion in UFC history, behind Jon Jones, and the first fighter born in the 2000s to win a UFC title. He also became the UFC's second Asian-born male champion.

Van was scheduled to make his first title defense against Tatsuro Taira on April 11, 2026 at UFC 327. However, due to a knee injury, Van withdrew from the bout, so the bout was postponed to May 9, 2026 which took place at UFC 328. He successfully defended the title and won the fight via technical knockout in the fifth round. This fight earned him a $100,000 Fight of the Night award.

Van is scheduled to defend his title in a rematch against Alexandre Pantoja on September 19, 2026 at UFC 331.

Personal life Van's father died in 2017 and as of July 2025, he lives with his mother. Van is a Christian.

Van is an avid fan of McDonald's and has mentioned to various media sources that he eats it for breakfast every morning, even during training camp.

Championships and accomplishments Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC Flyweight Championship (One time, current) One successful title defense Second youngest champion in UFC history (24 years, 57 days) Second Asian-born male champion in UFC history First UFC champion born in the 2000s Fight of the Night (Two times) Highest striking differential in UFC Flyweight division history (2.61) Second most significant strikes landed in UFC Flyweight division history (1230) UFC.com Awards 2025: Ranked #2 Fighter of the Year, Fight of the Year & Half-Year Awards: Best Fight of the 1HY 2026: Half-Year Awards: Best Fight of the 1HY Fury Fighting Championship Fury FC Flyweight Championship (One time; former) 2025 Fight of the Year 2025 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year 2025 Fight of the Year Fight Matrix 2025 Most Improved Fighter of the Year MMA Junkie 2025 Breakout Fighter of the Year 2025 Fight of the Year CBS Sports 2025 UFC Fight of the Year theScore 2025 Breakout Fighter of the Year The Wrightway Sports Network 2025 Breakout Fighter of the Year MMA Mania 2025 #3 Ranked Fighter of the Year 2025 #4 Ranked Fight of the Year MMA Fighting 2025 #5 Ranked Fighter of the Year 2025 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year 2025 Fight of the Year 2025 First Team MMA All-Star Uncrowned 2025 #4 Ranked Male Fighter of the Year 2025 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year Cageside Press 2022 Flyweight Prospect of the Year 2025 Fight of the Year

Mixed martial arts record Win

Tatsuro Taira TKO (front kick to the body and punches) UFC 328

Newark, New Jersey, United States Win

Alexandre Pantoja TKO (arm injury) UFC 323

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Brandon Royval Decision (unanimous) UFC 317

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Bruno Gustavo da Silva TKO (punches) UFC 316

Newark, New Jersey, United States Win

Rei Tsuruya Decision (unanimous) UFC 313

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Cody Durden Decision (unanimous) UFC 310

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Édgar Cháirez Decision (unanimous) UFC 306

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Charles Johnson KO (punches) UFC on ESPN: Namajunas vs. Cortez

Denver, Colorado, United States Win

Felipe Bunes TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Kevin Borjas Decision (unanimous) UFC 295

New York City, New York, United States Win

Zhalgas Zhumagulov Decision (split) UFC on ABC: Emmett vs. Topuria

Jacksonville, Florida, United States Win

Cleveland McLean Submission (rear-naked choke) Fury FC 72

Houston, Texas, United States Win

Paris Moran TKO (punches) Fury FC 67

Houston, Texas, United States Win

Mario Suazo Submission (calf slicer) Fury FC 62

Castle Rock, Colorado, United States Win

Angelo Trujillo KO (head kick) Fury FC 60

Houston, Texas, United States Win

Francisco Obando TKO (punches) Fury FC 57

Humble, Texas, United States Loss

Devon Jackson Submission (rear-naked choke) Fury FC 55

Houston, Texas, United States Win

Chase Eastham TKO (punches) Fury FC 54

Houston, Texas, United States Win

Tony Esquivel TKO (knees to the body) Fury FC 52

Houston, Texas, United States