Fight Library

Everybody talks about his striking but, bro, Joshua Van's grappling is a problem. Tsuruya, Taira and now Pantoja?! Insane.

Everyone is praising Joshua Van. But the real star of UFC 331 was his corner. They dialed in the adjustments and kept Van focused.

Ik we just answered the wrestling question but Joshua Van vs Asu Almabayev would feed generations.

I think Van's second half was great. He fooled Van, wasn't where he expected him to be, and did work. That's how Joshua Van put the Pantoja question to rest.

Brawling with a brawler is always a fools errand. Joshua Van almost fell into that trap. But his coaches did a fantasric job of reeling him in and making him fight a gameplan that could win him the fight against Pantoja.

Joshua Van was hitting Alexandre Pantoja with the ole shoeshine.

Now that the Pantoja debacle is out the way, Joshua Van's view will shift from winning the title to maintaining the title. Khabib talked about this in his book after beating Iaqunta and how the mindset required a change.

Joshua Van's underhooks may have seemed like the magic bullet against Alexandre Pantoja. But it was really his urgency to work towards a getup that was the true skill on display.