Van (16-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) logged four fights on the year, before culminating with capturing the UFC flyweight title. It was a pretty disappointing championship win for the 24-year-old, but his rise has been undeniable regardless.
Advertisement
His year began with a unanimous decision victory over Rei Tsuruya at UFC 313 in March, then his second Octagon finish over Bruno Silva just three months later at UFC 316. Van would follow up with an even quicker turnaround, where he returned just three weeks later in a big step up in competition against former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC 317 in June.
Van ended up beating Royval in one of the best fights of the year to earn a title shot against Alexandre Pantoja. In 2025, Van found himself competing only in pay-per-view events with the opportunity to face one of the UFC’s most dominant champions.
The big moment came for Van at the final PPV event of the year at UFC 323 earlier this month, but it only lasted 26 seconds. Pantoja suffered a serious arm injury after Van caught his kick and returned him to the canvas, resulting in a TKO victory for Van. With Pantoja’s return schedule unknown, Van is already set to return to action after trading barbs with top contender Manel Kape.
At just 24 years old, Van became the second-youngest champion in UFC history after an incredible year of rising to stardom. He is also the first Asian-born UFC men’s champion.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: MMA Junkie’s Breakout Fighter of the Year 2025: Joshua Van