UFC fighter Joshua Van hopes his success will put spotlight on Myanmar crisis
SINGAPORE – Each time Joshua 'The Fearless' Van steps into the Octagon, the mixed martial arts (MMA) athlete is fighting for more than himself.
The 23-year-old hails from Myanmar's Chin State, the mountainous western state bordering Bangladesh and India, where clashes continue in its capital Hakha between resistance forces and the military, which seized power from an elected government in a 2021 coup.
And as he battles his way up the rungs of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Van, the only Myanmar-born fighter on the promotion's roster, hopes that 'the bigger I get, the more they all know about Myanmar', as he wants to raise awareness on the struggles back home.
He will get his chance to do that soon. On June 29, in front of a sold-out crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Van made history by defeating the UFC's then No. 1 ranked flyweight Brandon Royval by unanimous decision to earn the right to be the next challenger for the UFC flyweight title held by Alexandre Pantoja.
He will be the first Southeast Asian-born fighter to challenge for a UFC belt.
After stepping up as a replacement for the injured Manel Kape with less than three weeks' notice, Van's win made the MMA world sit up and take notice of the flyweight sensation. It was the first fight in UFC history where two fighters each had more than 200 significant strikes and the bout was awarded Fight of the Night – both athletes took home an additional US$50,000 (S$63,700).
For his first six fights in the UFC, Van, who is now an American citizen but fights under the Myanmar flag, did not have permission to take the Myanmar flag into the ring. While he did not know why it was not allowed, during a bout in March he fought hard and the flag was draped over his shoulders for the first time.
Van told The Straits Times in a video interview from Texas: 'The reason why they (UFC) let me carry my flag to the ring was because I fought for it. And for me to do that and show the world, it means a lot. It makes me feel like I fight for my people. I fight for my country. I want people to know where I am from and what Myanmar is.
'The bigger I get, the more they all know about Myanmar. So for me to for me to do that, I have to work harder.'
Since making his UFC debut in 2023, Van has risen through ranks with his explosive striking and relentless pace in the Octagon, where he has a record of eight wins and a loss.
UFC vice president and head of Asia, Kevin Chang, has witnessed Van's rise and describes it as being 'incredible to watch', noting that he has 'given the fans in Myanmar a true sporting icon'.
Born in Hakha, Van and his family – he has four sisters – fled to Malaysia when he was about nine after Myanmar became increasingly ridden with military and political conflict.
About two years later, the refugees relocated to Houston, Texas, where Van picked up MMA before making his amateur debut in 2020.
He may be far from home, but he keeps up to date on the situation in Myanmar through other family members who remained.
When asked about what he wants the world to know about his country of birth, he said: 'I want people to understand that Myanmar used to be a strong, independent country, until these government takeovers. It ruined it all for us. But we are still fighting... and we will fight until we get the victory. I'm the example of that.
'I lost, but I get back up and keep going.'
Despite the fact that some pundits have suggested that Van may face a grappling disadvantage against 'The Cannibal,' he still fancies his chances. While the UFC has not announced a date, Pantoja has suggested the match could take place in December.
Van said: 'I'm always confident when it comes to fighting, so this is not going to be anything different. I am just going to go in there, do my thing, and get that belt for sure.
'I am going to feel like I'm on top of the world (if I succeed). I am going to be letting everybody know what Myanmar is about so that would mean the world to me.'
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