A new home
After leaving Myanmar, Van’s family settles in Houston, the city he calls home.

The Fearless
Born in Hakha. Forged in Houston. A world champion carrying a story bigger than the cage.
Explore his story01 / The story
Joshua Van’s road to the belt began far from the bright lights of fight night.
Born in Hakha, Myanmar, he and his family passed through a Malaysian refugee camp before making a home in Houston. There, he found mixed martial arts, a team at 4oz Fight Club, and a way to represent the place he came from on the biggest stage in the sport.
He became a Fury FC flyweight champion before arriving in the UFC in 2023. In December 2025, at age 24, he became UFC flyweight champion. Two successful defenses in 2026 have kept the title in his hands.
Hear the story in his own words02 / The journey
After leaving Myanmar, Van’s family settles in Houston, the city he calls home.
He wins his June 24 UFC debut against Zhalgas Zhumagulov.
At UFC 323, a first-round TKO due to Alexandre Pantoja’s injury brings him the flyweight belt.
He defends against Tatsuro Taira, then wins the Pantoja rematch over five rounds.
03 / Inside the cage
The climb to the title, and the nights that have defined the reign. For the full fight history, visit his official UFC profile.
In their rematch, Van went the full five rounds and earned a unanimous decision to retain the flyweight championship.
Win · TKO, round 5 · First title defense
Fight recap ↗Win · TKO following Pantoja’s elbow injury · Won the title
Fight history ↗Win · Unanimous decision · Breakthrough contender bout
Fight recap ↗04 / See the moment
Watch official highlights from the September 2026 championship rematch, then go deeper into the person behind the fighter.
05 / Stay connected
The next chapter comes from Joshua himself. Follow his channels for updates, training, and moments beyond the cage.