Joshua Van has an unusual origin story for his grasp of English, and it runs through the radio, not the classroom.
In an interview with Megan Olivi, Van explained that after relocating to the United States, movies and love songs became his primary teachers for the language. Artists like Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber were part of that education.
The exchange took an amusing turn when Olivi asked him directly:
“You’re a Belieber?”
And Van replied:
“I was, I think I still am.”
From Myanmar to Houston, With Music Along the Way – Joshua Van
Joshua Van’s journey to the UFC started far from the Octagon. Born on October 10, 2001, in Hakha, in Myanmar’s Chin State, he was one of five siblings in a family caught in the middle of the country’s ongoing military and political conflict. That instability pushed the family to relocate to Malaysia when Van was just ten years old.
Three years later, in 2013, a twelve-year-old Van and his family made another major move, this time settling in Houston, Texas. It was during this stretch of relocation and adjustment to a new country that English became something he had to pick up largely on his own, and music and film filled that gap.
Learning the language through lyrics rather than textbooks likely explains why pop songs from artists like Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber stuck with him enough to shape his fluency.
Van’s life outside the cage carries its own layers. His father passed away in 2017, and as of mid-2025, he lives with his mother. He identifies as Christian, and in lighter fashion, has become known for his love of McDonald’s, which he says he eats for breakfast every morning, training camp included.
UFC 331: Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2
Joshua Van is set to defend his flyweight title in a rematch against Alexandre Pantoja on September 19 at UFC 331.
The rematch gives Van the perfect opportunity to settle unfinished business with Pantoja. Their first meeting at UFC 323 in December ended shockingly just 26 seconds into the fight, when Pantoja’s arm snapped at the elbow. The freak finish handed Van the title but left plenty of doubters unconvinced, with many placing an asterisk next to the win given how it happened.
That controversy has fueled real tension between the two heading into UFC 331. At the pre-fight press conference in Philadelphia, things boiled over. Van told reporters that even without the injury, he still would have beaten Pantoja that day, calling the rematch just another chance to do it again.
Pantoja fired back, questioning Van’s character and accusing him of putting on an act. The exchange escalated when Van cut Pantoja off mid-answer, prompting Pantoja to warn him to watch his mouth before standing up and moving toward Van, forcing Dana White and security to step in and separate them.
Complicating the rivalry further, Pantoja has claimed that when Joshua Van saw his arm was hurt during their first fight, Van tried to punch him instead of easing off, an accusation Van has not directly addressed but one that has only added fuel to the bad blood.
With the flyweight title on the line once again, Van can put an end to their heated rivalry and all the trash talk by doing what no one has managed to do: finish Pantoja inside the Octagon on merit, not on a freak injury. Pantoja, for his part, insists his recovery has gone better than expected, giving him the health to finally settle things at UFC 331.
About The Author
