“The coup destroyed everything, but we are still fighting… I am that example.” — Joshua Van
Burma Independent Voice
Feature: A reprint and translation of the article originally published in The Straits Times on July 4, 2025.
Whenever Joshua “The Fearless” Van steps into the Octagon, he isn’t just fighting for himself.
The 23-year-old Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athlete hails from Chin State, Myanmar—a region near the borders of Bangladesh and India where intense conflict between resistance forces and the military has persisted since the 2021 coup.
As the only Myanmar-born fighter currently competing in the UFC, Van hopes to bring global attention to the struggles facing his home country. “The higher I get in the rankings, the more everyone learns about Myanmar,” he says.
That opportunity arrived in spectacular fashion. On June 28, in front of a capacity crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Van made history by defeating the then-UFC No. 1 Flyweight contender Brandon Royval by decision. This victory cemented his status as the top contender for the UFC Flyweight Championship, currently held by Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja. (Note: Van has since secured the victory and is now the champion).
Van is set to become the first Southeast Asian-born fighter to challenge for—and win—a UFC belt.
Accepting the fight on less than three weeks’ notice to replace an injured Manel Kape, Van’s victory sent shockwaves through the MMA world. The bout marked the first time in UFC history that both fighters surpassed 200 significant strikes each. It was awarded “Fight of the Night,” earning both athletes a $50,000 bonus.
Fighting for the Flag
Though he is now an American citizen, Van competes under the Myanmar flag. During his initial six-fight stint leading up to the UFC, he faced hurdles in bringing the flag into the cage. While the reasons remained unclear to him at the time, he finally draped the Myanmar flag over his shoulders following a grueling battle last March.
“The reason they [UFC] let me carry the flag is because I fought for that right,” Van told The Straits Times during a video interview from Texas. “To be able to show this to the world means a lot to me.”
“It makes me feel like I’m fighting for my people, for my country. I want people to know where I come from and what Myanmar is. The bigger I get, the more they will know about Myanmar. That’s why I have to work harder.”
From Chin State to Texas
Born in Hakha, the capital of Chin State, Van fled to Malaysia at age nine with his family of four as military and political instability worsened in Myanmar. Two years later, he resettled as a refugee in Houston, Texas, where he discovered MMA.
Kevin Chang, UFC Vice President and Head of Asia, described Van’s meteoric rise as “incredible to watch,” noting that he has become “a true sporting hero for Myanmar fans.”
Despite the distance, Van remains closely connected to the situation on the ground through family members still in Myanmar. When asked what he wants the world to know about his birthplace, his answer is clear: “I want people to understand that before the coup, Myanmar was a strong, free country.”
“The coup destroyed everything. But we are still fighting… we will keep fighting until we win. I am that example. I’ve faced defeats, but I stand back up and keep moving forward.”
Confidence in the Championship
While some critics pointed to a potential weakness in grappling when facing Alexandre Pantoja (known as “The Cannibal”), Van remained undeterred. Although the UFC has yet to officially announce the date for the title defense, Pantoja has suggested a December showdown.
“When it comes to fighting, I am always confident, and this will be no different,” Van said. “I will go in there, showcase my skills, and I will definitely take that belt.”
“If I succeed, it will feel like reaching the top of the world. It will mean the world to me because I will have shown everyone what Myanmar truly is.”
