Joshua Van’s Title Shot “A Little Premature” Says MMA Analyst, Questions If “The Fearless” Is Ready For Alexandre Pantoja At UFC 323
An MMA analyst believes Joshua Van may not yet have the answers to solve a champion as experienced as Alexandre Pantoja. Van is set to challenge reigning UFC flyweight champion Pantoja in the UFC 323 co-main event this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“The Fearless” is coming off a unanimous decision victory over former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC 317 in June, a statement win that secured him the championship opportunity. He enters UFC 323 on a five-fight win streak, and aside from a lone knockout loss to Charles Johnson at UFC Denver in July 2024, the 24-year-old talent out of Myanmar has been flawless in the promotion, winning eight of his last nine bouts.
Many pundits believe Van has the tools to give Pantoja real problems in the fight, particularly in the striking exchanges. However, Din Thomas sees it differently, arguing that Van is walking into a stylistic nightmare against “The Cannibal.
Din Thomas Dismisses Joshua Van’s Odds, Says He’s Not “At The Level” To Dethrone Alexandre Pantoja
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, UFC analyst Din Thomas gave his take on the flyweight title fight between Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van at UFC 323. The MMA veteran said that Pantoja is poised to test Van with a relentless series of grappling threats that could quickly expose any gaps in the young contender’s game.
“I think Pantoja, I don’t want to say walks through him, but I think stylistically, he has all the advantages to make this look exactly the way he beat Kai Kara-France, and I think it’s going to look similar to that,” Thomas said.
Thomas pointed to experience as the defining factor, suggesting “The Fearless” may not yet be on the same competitive tier as Pantoja, and believes this apparent gap makes the matchup feel a step too early for Van.
“And I say this with all due respect because Joshua Van, like Waldo Cortes-Acosta, is one of my favorite fighters right now. But stylistically, I just don’t think he’s at the level right now to be able to deal with Pantoja. This guy’s only been doing this for five years. Like, Pantoja was probably a black belt five years ago so, I think it’s a little premature for him.”
