Daniel Cormier TV - Joshua Van GUARANTEES win vs. Alexandre Pantoja to become NEW UFC CHAMPION

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Daniel Cormier TV - Joshua Van GUARANTEES win vs. Alexandre Pantoja to become NEW UFC CHAMPION
Date: December 6, 2025

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Main Theme

This episode dives into the rapid ascent of UFC Flyweight contender Joshua Van as he prepares to challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the title at UFC 323. Interviewed by a seasoned MMA host (likely Daniel Cormier from context), Van discusses his career trajectory, the lessons learned from adversity, his mindset heading into the biggest fight of his life, and his pride in representing Myanmar.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joshua Van’s Meteoric Rise

Timestamp: [05:29] – [05:55]

• Joshua Van expresses confidence and hunger for success, correcting the host’s “if you become a world champion” to “when I become a champion.”
• He reflects on his quick journey to a title shot, noting it feels both sudden and like perfect timing:
  • “I wanted to get it sooner, but I think this is the perfect timing.” – Joshua Van [05:55]

2. Impact of His First UFC Loss

Timestamp: [06:08] – [06:27]

• Van wanted to be “the youngest champion” but points out his first loss in 2023 slowed him and forced maturity.
• He describes the loss as “the best thing that ever happened,” making him more “mentally and physically prepared.”

3. Navigating Fame and Staying Grounded

Timestamp: [07:15] – [07:46]

• At just 24, Van has avoided pitfalls that tempt young athletes (“Jon Jones, for one, look at how crazy he was…”).
• Attributes his grounded nature to his coaches and mentors:
  • “That guy kept me on my… He always checks on me...if I slack off, man, they get on my ass.” – Joshua Van [07:31]

4. Signature Fights & Growth

Timestamp: [08:19] – [10:09]

• The “barn burner with Brandon Royval” is highlighted as a turning point.
• Van felt he clearly won all three rounds but recognized the urgency, especially after being told it might be tied.
• On growth:
  • “I feel like I grew in the Chirus fight…he grabbed the cage and Spinning elbow…That kind of showed me who I am as a fighter.” – Joshua Van [09:49]

5. Facing Alexandre Pantoja: Breaking Down the Challenge

Timestamp: [10:14] – [11:33]

• Van shows deep respect for Pantoja’s ground skills:
  • “He’s one of the—in my eyes—he’s the greatest of all time in our division.” – Joshua Van [10:34]
• The host pushes back, mentioning Demetrious Johnson as another all-time great.
• Van analyzes Pantoja’s recent opponents, noting their respect and passivity enabled Pantoja’s success:
  • “They’re giving him too much respect…look at Kai fight…he trip on himself…I'm not going to make the same mistake.” – Joshua Van [11:33]

6. Van’s Unique Striking and Game Plan

Timestamp: [12:09] – [12:48]

• Van distinguishes his striking from previous Pantoja opponents:
  • “Moreno...he’s just a fast punching guy…Me, I got my timing…I set up things.” – Joshua Van [12:26]

7. Preparation for the Five-Round, 25-Minute Championship

Timestamp: [12:48] – [13:09]

• Experienced with long sparring to prepare for a title bout.
  • “I sparred seven rounds...so there’s nothing new to me, man.” – Joshua Van [12:55]

8. Motivation & Meaning of Becoming Champion

Timestamp: [13:02] – [13:27]

• For Van, the belt means ultimate success, national pride, and a dream fulfilled for his family:
  • "...just getting the belt, representing my country, Myanmar, and...giving that belt to my mom would mean the world to me." – Joshua Van [13:09]

9. Financial Discipline & Perspective

Timestamp: [13:27] – [14:09]

• Early career spending mistakes (“I did the same with my first two UFC check...It lasted me a week” – Joshua Van [13:40]) have led to a more disciplined approach with guidance from his team.

10. Lighthearted Closing

Timestamp: [14:09] – [14:40]

• Playful talk about the perks of championship life (specifically better steak), with Van joking:
  • "I'm going to start having [steak for] breakfast, dinner."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joshua Van (on title mindset):
  "When I become a champion." [05:28]

• On overcoming his first UFC loss:
  “That was the best thing that ever happened to me. So now I'm mentally preparing physically...I'm ready.” [06:08]

• On support system and humility:
  “That guy kept me on my…He always check on me...all the coaches, man, if I slack off, man, they get on my ass. So that's what kept me humble and kept me in the gym.” [07:31]

• Reflecting on adversity and growth:
  “I feel like I grew in the Chirus fight...That kind of showed me who I am as a fighter.” [09:49]

• Praising opponent Pantoja:
  “He’s one of the—in my eyes—he’s the greatest of all time in our division.” [10:34]

• Analyzing Pantoja’s opponents and revealing his strategy:
  “They’re giving him too much respect...I'm not going to make the same mistake.” [11:33]

• On representing his country and family:
  "...representing my country, Myanmar and...giving that belt to my mom would mean the world to me.” [13:09]

• On early-career financial woes:
  “I did the same with my first two UFC check. It lasted me a week or so.” [13:40]

• On the anticipation of Steak as a Champion:
  "I'm going to start having breakfast, dinner." [14:38]

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• [05:29] – Joshua Van asserts his confidence about becoming champion
• [06:08] – Discussing the impact of his first career loss
• [07:31] – Van credits his coaches for keeping him grounded
• [08:27 – 09:49] – Breakdown of his signature victory and growth moments
• [10:14] – Insights on Alexandre Pantoja as an opponent and breaking down the matchup
• [12:26] – Differentiating his striking from other flyweights
• [13:09] – Emotional motivation—dreams of bringing the belt home for Myanmar and his family
• [13:40] – Admission about early financial pitfalls and learning discipline

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Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, friendly, and full of mutual respect. The host teases Van with humor about his youth and appetite, while Van remains humble, determined, and honest, consistently attributing his progress to discipline and his support team. The mood is energizing—Van’s confidence and humility shine as he prepares for a historic title tilt.

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For New Listeners

If you missed the episode, this conversation provides a revealing look into the mindset of a rapidly rising UFC star—detailing how Joshua Van overcame setbacks, maintains perspective despite success at a young age, and approaches the biggest test of his burgeoning career. The interplay between fighter and host offers perspective, levity, and deep insight into the makings of a potential champion.

Transcript

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[Interviewer]

I'm here with Joshua Van, challengers for the UFC Flyweight Championship this weekend against Alexandre Pantoja. Josh Van, thank you for checking in with the boy, man. I appreciate you. You get a little bit of that championship media, huh? You like it?

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, it's a lot, but yeah, I like it.

[Interviewer]

It's a lot. Especially when you're hungry.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

I got some food over here. You're like, yo, is that Wingstop?

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, I was gonna go grab that.

[Interviewer]

No, you better stay away from that. Whatever you get on Saturday night is gonna be much better.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

If you become a world champion.

[Joshua Van]

When I become a champion.

[Interviewer]

When you become a world champion. Did this, this time frame for this title fight, like, could you have imagined it will be here as soon. Because I gotta tell you, I remember the first fighter meeting we did and I spoke to you about wrestling. You said, I've been wrestling for six months, man.

[Joshua Van]

Yes, sir.

[Interviewer]

And.

It don't feel like that Was that long ago. It feels like this has happened very quickly.

[Joshua Van]

Yeah.

I don't know, man. You know, I think this is, like, the perfect timing, you know what I mean, for me to get this opportunity. Like, I wanted to get it sooner, but I think this is the perfect timing.

[Interviewer]

You thought sooner you deserve to be fighting for the belt?

[Joshua Van]

Yes. I always tell my manager, man, I want to be the youngest champion, but, you know, I took that loss back in 20, 23, 4, you know what I mean? And that kind of slowed me down, and that was the best thing that ever happened to me. So now I'm mentally preparing physically, you know, I mean, so I'm ready.

[Interviewer]

I was wondering about that. When a young guy takes a loss for the first time in the UFC like that, what did you learn from it? What did you learn from that that allowed for you to be who you are right now?

[Joshua Van]

Well, like, I don't want to get too spiritually and things like that. You know, I just found myself basically, you know what I mean? So. And the work ethic that I put in now, I'm more disciplined and things like that. So mentally and physically, I'm well prepared.

[Interviewer]

When you're young, though, there's a lot that comes with being a UFC fighter, because now you have access to things. Bro, how old are you now? 24? 23. 24 years old. If I was in this position at 24 years old, or maybe 23 and 22 like you were. Yeah, I don't know that I'd be okay as most struggle.

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[Interviewer]

Jon Jones, for one, look at how crazy he was as a young guy that had all this success. How did you avoid that? Not falling victim to all those traps that comes with fame, stardom, and being on the world stage at such a young age.

[Joshua Van]

That guy right there, that guy kept me on my. You know what I mean? He always check on me and things like that. Not just him, but all the coaches, man, if I slack off, man, they. They get on my ass. So that's what kept me humble and kept me in the gym.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. That's the most important thing.

[Joshua Van]

Yes, sir.

[Interviewer]

Staying active. And you're young now, too. Like, you don't feel the practices as much as people feel them when they get older. But trust me, you do this long enough. Watch, when you wake up after a practice at 30 opposed to 21. You're like a superman right now.

[Joshua Van]

I keep telling them, man, I'm getting old.

[Interviewer]

No, you're not. Trust me. When I was your age, you could fall on the wrestling Mat a hundred times a day and not feel nothing. Now I'm, like, showing technique. The other day, my knee gave out on me as I was just standing up. I was just standing up, man. It's bad.

But now you're here, right? You have an opportunity fight for the world championship. But that came after an absolute barn burner with Brandon Royval.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

Your boxing, obviously is what you're known for. Your takedown defense has actually gotten so good that nobody can take it on in their force to box with you. But in that fight with Royval, it was crazy, bro.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

You dropped him in the third to pretty much solidify the victory. Did you guys know going into the third round.

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[Interviewer]

It might be one. One. I got to find a way to separate myself from this guy.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

Well, I actually thought I won all three rounds, right?

[Interviewer]

Really? Like, it was the jab. Like, he was hitting you with a lot of jabs, like in the second or third, that might have swung it in his.

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, yeah. That probably what it is. But then I was landing the damage punch. I was doing more damage and things like that. But I think, like, the fans would see, like, one on one going to that fight, and then the coaches was telling me it was one on one. So, you know what I mean? That third round, I know I got to step up and things like that.

[Interviewer]

You dropped it.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

You probably were thinking to yourself, God, yes. Yes. There's no doubt now.

[Joshua Van]

Yes. I thought I finished it. I thought I was going to finish him, but then the. The time was. Time went too fast.

[Interviewer]

Yo, that's gonna be fight of the year.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

That's the fight of the year.

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I think that is the fight of the year, Hands down, the skill level, the thing. But. But most importantly to me, it showed me that you can now deal with adversity. I knew after that fight, you were kind of ready to challenge for a championship. Do you feel like you grew up in that fight?

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, for sure. No, I feel like I grew in the Chirus fight, in the spear. You know how I was about to knock him out, and then he grabbed the cage and Spinning elbow.

[Interviewer]

Yep, yep, yep.

[Joshua Van]

And you know what I mean? I got, you know, I got back up and finished the fight. You know what I mean? So I think that kind of showed me who I am as a fighter.

[Interviewer]

I think most people are excited about who you are and know who you are.

Alexandre Pantoja. Right. This guy is putting together a resume that rivals some of the greatest champions in UFC history. When you got the call that you were going to get to fight him for the championship, how excited were you? And when you guys went to work to start breaking him down, what stuck out the most to you?

[Joshua Van]

His ground for sure. Right. He's one of the. In my eyes, he's the greatest of all time in our division. Right. Just because, you know, that's, he's. He's all I see.

[Interviewer]

Demetrius Johnson, bro. Demetrius Johnson, bro. Like to say something like that, it's just. It's almost like saying LeBron is better than Michael Jordan because you're young and you didn't see Michael Jordan play.

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, you see, but that's. That's all I see. You know, when I made my debuts, he was a champion.

[Interviewer]

I'm gonna give you. I'm giving you some Runway to take that back, man. Demetrius Johnson, maybe I'm gonna have to go. You gotta watch him, dude. Just watch the mousetrap. He threw one guy in the air and as he was going to the ground, he put him in an arm bar.

[Joshua Van]

That's dope.

[Interviewer]

That's dope, bro. It was the sickest submission. You guys remember that one? He lifted him in the air. Yeah. Okay, but Pantoja is right there, right? And when you start breaking him down and you see that ground game, how do you make sure that, that wrestling that we spoke about on day one holds up to be able to defend yourself against him trying to take you to the ground?

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, but all of the guys that he fought after he got that belt, right, is the guys he already beat. So mentally he already beaten them, you know what I mean? So. And they're giving him too much respect when they fight him, like, you know, going backward. Like, look at Kai fight, like most of the takedown that Pantoja was landing on him, it wasn't because he was great. Like, he, he was great at shooting takedowns and things like that. It was because Kai was backing up, backing up and he trip on himself type of thing, too, you know what I mean? So I'm not going to make the same mistake.

[Interviewer]

You don't go backwards, though.

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, that's the thing.

[Interviewer]

You don't back up. Yeah, but he has been. Will he has been willing to stand in trade when he had to. Right. With Brandon Moreno, it seemed like he was the aggressor in the striking. Do you expect him to be willing to stand with you like that, or you think he's going to take down right away?

[Joshua Van]

Well, my striking is very different from Moreno, you know, everybody know. Yeah, Moreno is Just like he. He's just a fast punching guy, you know what I mean? But me, I got my timing, you know what I mean? I don't just throw just to throw, you know what I mean? I set up things and things like that. So that's what's going to make different in this fight.

[Interviewer]

Have you thought about 25 minutes, have you thought about, like fighting a 25 minute fight? Because that's a whole different ball game.

[Joshua Van]

Yeah, I mean, I sparred seven rounds, things like that, you know, five minute. So there's nothing new to me, man.

[Interviewer]

You become a world champion, like, what do you. What does that mean to you if at Saturday night you hear and new.

[Joshua Van]

Oh, it means everything to me, you know what I mean? Like I always say, I never thought, I never think I'm successful until I get that belt, you know what I mean? And just getting the belt, representing my country, Myanmar and you know what I mean? Giving that belt to my mom with me mean the word to me.

[Interviewer]

How do you keep that perspective? Because I saw a video recently where Raul Wilson Jr. Was saying he got 10 grand. He spent it in a week because he was a young kid that got lost. Like, how do you keep that perspective? You spent it.

[Joshua Van]

I did the same with my first two UFC check.

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[Interviewer]

What'd you buy?

[Joshua Van]

I don't even know. It lasted me a week or so, like. And then this guy is like, what's your money? And I look at my bank, it was. It's gone.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. So what now? What are you doing differently now?

[Joshua Van]

I call him. I was like, hey, what am I doing with, you know, this? What can I buy? What can I, you know? And so they keep me on track, man.

[Interviewer]

My coaches, perspective is important, but I tell you one thing, if you win that belt on Saturday, you ain't gonna really have to look at that bank account as closely no more. They be having a lot of zeros in there, too. It's nice. Hopefully you just be sleeping, but you sleep better. Steak tastes better. What's your favorite meal?

[Joshua Van]

Steak, for sure.

[Interviewer]

Steak is your favorite meal?

[Joshua Van]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

You become the champion and you get those checks. Steak tastes like they literally the cow. They stab him, take him off, put him right on the grill, right on your plate. That's what steak starts to taste like.

[Joshua Van]

I'm going to start having breakfast, dinner.

[Interviewer]

It's the best feeling in the world. Congratulations, my man. Guys. Joshua Van Challengers for the flyweight championship this weekend, UFC 323 against Alexandre Pantoja, a young man who's done so much so quickly. Get excited about Josh Van. He has an opportunity to make history on Saturday night. Until next time. Peace.

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