Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight Joshua Van secured a title shot by defeating No. 1 ranked Flyweight Brandon Royval on short notice via unanimous decision at UFC 317 last weekend (Sat., June 28, 2028) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In addition to securing a shot at champion Alexandre Pantoja later this year, Van claimed a Fight of the Night bonus for a bout widely regarded as the year’s best. The Royval-Van clash made UFC history as the first fight where both competitors landed over 200 significant strikes.
But even though it was a huge step up in competition (I picked him to lose), Van wasn’t surprised when he won, as he knew he would.
“Me and my team always know what we can do,” Van told reporters during his post-fight interview. “Nothing surprised me. I knew I was always going to be here at the No. 1 spot. Remember I brought my name [plate]? Now, it’s No. 1: Joshua Van.”
As the new No. 1 flyweight contender, “The Fearless” will challenge one of the division’s greatest champions, Pantoja. Though Van may face a grappling disadvantage against “The Cannibal,” he remains confident.
“You know my takedown defense is on point, too. He’s never fought Joshua Van. Soon, we’re going to find out,” Van said. “We’ll see if it lasts five rounds. I’m Joshua Van. I don’t fight like these guys. It’s going to be a whole different fight.”
Van, 23, can become the second youngest UFC champion in promotional history with a win.
For complete UFC 317 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
