# Joshua Van

Joshua Van Bawi Thawng (born October 10, 2001), known professionally as Joshua Van, is a Burmese and American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of March 18, 2025, he is #15 in the UFC flyweight rankings.

## Early life and background

Joshua Van was born Bawi Thawng in Hakha, Chin State, Myanmar to a family of five siblings. Due to the SPDC junta in Myanmar, his family relocated to Malaysia when he was ten years old in search of better opportunities.
At the age of twelve, Van and his family moved to Houston, Texas.

## 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 recording 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

Before his debut, 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. He won the fight by split decision.
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 faces 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.

## Championships and accomplishments

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Highest significant strikes landed per minute in UFC history (8.10)
** Highest striking differential in UFC Flyweight division history (2.86)
** Sixth most significant strikes landed in UFC Flyweight division history (768)
** Seventh most total strikes landed in UFC Flyweight division history (1016)
** Fifth highest significant strike accuracy in UFC Flyweight division history (54.6%)
* Fury Fighting Championship
** Fury FC Flyweight Championship (One time; former)

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 15 matches | 13 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 6 | 1 |
| By submission | 2 | 1 |
| By decision | 5 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 13–2 | Rei Tsuruya | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 313 | March 8, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 12–2 | Cody Durden | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 310 | December 7, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 11–2 | Édgar Cháirez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 306 | September 14, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 10–2 | Charles Johnson | KO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Namajunas vs. Cortez | July 13, 2024 | 3 | 0:20 | Denver, Colorado, United States | |
| Win | 10–1 | Felipe Bunes | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 | January 13, 2024 | 2 | 4:31 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 9–1 | Kevin Borjas | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 295 | November 11, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Zhalgas Zhumagulov | Decision (split) | UFC on ABC: Emmett vs. Topuria | June 24, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 7–1 | Cleveland McLean | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Fury FC 72 | December 18, 2022 | 2 | 4:49 | Houston, Texas, United States | Won the vacant Fury FC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 6–1 | Paris Moran | TKO (punches) | Fury FC 67 | August 14, 2022 | 2 | 0:36 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 5–1 | Mario Suazo | Submission (calf slicer) | Fury FC 62 | May 15, 2022 | 2 | 4:23 | Castle Rock, Colorado, United States | |
| Win | 4–1 | Angelo Trujillo | KO (head kick) | Fury FC 60 | April 24, 2022 | 1 | 1:36 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 3–1 | Francisco Obando | TKO (punches) | Fury FC 57 | February 11, 2022 | 1 | 3:08 | Humble, Texas, United States | |
| Loss | 2–1 | Devon Jackson | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Fury FC 55 | December 19, 2021 | 2 | 4:58 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Chase Eastham | TKO (punches) | Fury FC 54 | November 21, 2021 | 2 | 3:24 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Tony Esquivel | KO (knee to the body) | Fury FC 52 | October 17, 2021 | 2 | 2:14 | Houston, Texas, United States | Flyweight debut. |