Dana White Lauds Joshua Van's Fighting Style and UFC 331 Performance With Superlative Remark

Joshua Van won the hearts of several UFC fans with his incredible performance at UFC 331, including Dana White. The UFC CEO also didn't shy away from appreciating Van's unwavering resolve wholeheartedly after the event and gave him a title that most fighters dream of achieving.

Dana White Views Joshua Van as a Blessing for the UFC Flyweight Division

Van seized the flyweight gold from Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323 in a rather unconvincing fashion, as the latter unfortunately sustained a gruesome injury to his arm in the very first round of their UFC 323 encounter that left him unable to continue. But with two title defenses to his name now, Van has proved his worth as the champion.

The Burmese-American's convincing unanimous decision victory against Pantoja in the UFC 331 main event removed the doubts about his status as the undisputed divisional champion. Additionally, the kind of show Van put on with Pantoja made White accept wholeheartedly that the 24-year-old was "the greatest thing ever" that happened in the division.

The UFC head honcho said, "He is the greatest thing ever for that division, you know. He brings a lot of flash, excitement, and fun to the division. That was a great fight."

White doubled down on his "exciting and fun" opinion about Van, mentioning, "I was sitting, and I was like, 'Holy s*it, this is the fifth round already.' It's fun when that happens in five-round fights."

Dana White gives his immediate reaction to Joshua Van's win over Alexandre Pantoja at #UFC331:

"He's the greatest thing ever for that division." pic.twitter.com/TaX57YWO6e

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) September 20, 2026

The UFC flyweight division has a history of struggling with a lack of popularity despite the presence of thoroughly skilled contenders. Avid UFC fans may remember how White once talked about closing the division despite the highly respected former UFC flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson, holding the title at the time.

Currently, the division is in a much better position, but it is still far from being among the high revenue-generating divisions of the promotion. White's words indicate that this situation can change with Van as the champion now.