Bawi Thawng (born October 10, 2001), most famously known as Joshua Van, is a Burmese and American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Van is the first fighter from Myanmar to sign with the promotion.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
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. Van made his professional MMA debut in 2021.
UFC Journey and Championship Win
Van's extreme activity and frequent fights over the past five years have astounded a former UFC champion. He is the first fighter from Myanmar to sign with the promotion, becoming the UFC's first Asian-born male champion at UFC 323. He is also the first fighter born in the 2000s to win a UFC title.
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.
Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2025. Colby Covington vs. No. 1-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight Joshua Van challenges Alexandre Pantoja for the 125-pound title this weekend (Sat., Dec. 6, 2025) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The pay-per-view (PPV) main event is Merab Dvalishvili vs.
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ALEXANDRE PANTOJA REACTS AFTER LOSING UFC FLYWEIGHT TITLE TO JOSHUA VAN (UFC 323)
Fight Record and Statistics
Here is a detailed look at Joshua Van's fight record:
Key Statistics:
- Fastest knockout in a UFC flyweight title fight (0:26) (vs. Alexandre Pantoja).
- Third fastest knockout in UFC Flyweight division history (0:26) (vs. Alexandre Pantoja).
Awards and Recognition
Joshua Van has received several awards and recognitions for his performances:
- Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Brandon Royval.
- 2025: Ranked #2 Fighter of the Year.
- Fight of the Year vs. Brandon Royval
- Half-Year Awards: Best Fight of the 1HY vs. Brandon Royval
- 2025 Fight of the Year vs. Brandon Royval
- 2025 Fight of the Year vs. Bruno Silva
- 2025 #4 Ranked Fight of the Year vs. Brandon Royval
Fight History
Here's a table summarizing Joshua Van's fight history:
| Date | Event | Opponent | Result | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 6, 2025 | UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2 | Alexandre Pantoja | Win | Arm Injury From Takedown | 1 | 0:26 |
| June 28, 2025 | UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira | Brandon Royval | Win | Decision | - | - |
| June 7, 2025 | UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2 | Bruno Silva | Win | Right Cross to Ground Strikes | 3 | 4:01 |
| March 8, 2025 | UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev | Rei Tsuruya | Win | Decision | - | - |
| December 7, 2024 | UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura | Cody Durden | Win | Decision | - | - |
| September 14, 2024 | UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili | Edgar Chairez | Win | Decision | - | - |
| July 13, 2024 | UFC Fight Night | Charles Johnson | Loss | Right Uppercut | 3 | 0:20 |
| January 13, 2024 | UFC Fight Night | Felipe Bunes | Win | Ground & Pound | 2 | 4:31 |
| November 11, 2023 | UFC 295: Procházka vs. Pereira | Kevin Borjas | Win | Decision | - | - |
| June 24, 2023 | UFC on ABC 5 | Zhalgas Zhumagulov | Win | Decision | - | - |
| December 18, 2022 | Fury FC 72: Van vs. McLean | Cleveland McLean | Win | Standing Rear Naked Choke | 2 | 4:49 |
| August 14, 2022 | Fury FC 67: Aliev vs. Richardson | Paris Moran | Win | Punches | 2 | 0:36 |
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