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Joshua Van Claims Flyweight Title in Shocking 26-Second Upset at UFC 323
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A new champion has emerged in the UFC flyweight division, but the circumstances surrounding the title change were anything but conventional. On Saturday,December 7,2025,at UFC 323 inside T-Mobile Arena in las Vegas,Joshua Van defeated alexandre Pantoja via TKO just 26 seconds into the co-main event,becoming the second-youngest champion in UFC history.
The stunning victory marks the end of Pantoja’s remarkable reign and a meteoric rise for the 24-year-old Van, who caps off an undefeated 2025 with a 4-0 record. The fight concluded abruptly when Pantoja appeared to sustain a serious arm injury after attempting a head kick that Van skillfully countered.
Did you know? – Joshua Van is the first fighter born in Myanmar to win a UFC championship.He relocated to the United States to pursue his mixed martial arts career, training in Houston, Texas.
A reign Cut Short
Pantoja, who had defended the 125-pound championship three times, suffered his first loss in over five years in a manner few could have predicted. According to reports,the injury occurred as Pantoja twisted midair following van’s takedown attempt,resulting in an awkward bend in his lower arm. He immediately sought medical attention after the fight.
“I didn’t know what happened,” Van saeid. “He just stopped. I was trying to ground-and-pound, but the ref said something was wrong.He’s one of the greatest of all time and I didn’t want the fight to go that way.”
following the bout, Pantoja took to social media to address his fans. He posted an update to Instagram, stating, “I’ve been through worse.I’ll come back even stronger,you can be sure of that. thank you for the messages.”
https://www.instagram.com/alexandre_pantoja/
Pro tip: – A TKO (Technical Knockout) occurs when the referee stops the fight as a fighter cannot intelligently defend themselves, even if they haven’t been knocked unconscious.
Van’s Remarkable Ascent
Van’s journey to the title has been nothing short of remarkable. Just six months prior to his championship win, in June 2024, he experienced a knockout loss to charles Johnson. as then, the fighter born in Myanmar and now training out of Houston, has secured impressive victories over Rei Tsuruya, Bruno Silva, and Brandon Royval.
His three-round war with Royval was notably noteworthy, setting a new UFC record for most combined strikes landed in a fight with a staggering 419. van also holds the distinction of being the youngest fighter to surpass 1,000 meaningful strikes landed in the UFC.
Reader question: – What is a significant strike? it’s any landed punch or kick that has a clear impact, as persistent by the UFC’s official scoring criteria.
A Moment of Pride and a Promise for the Future
Overcome with emotion, Van dedicated his victory to his mother, handing her the UFC belt in a touching moment. “I’m so blessed,” he said.”Peopel of Myanmar, now the world will know of us.”
Pantoja’s championship run had firmly established him among the flyweight greats, sparking debate about his place alongside Demetrious Johnson
