Joshua Van Moves Up 5 Spots to No. 6 in Latest UFC Pound-for-Pound Rankings
Joshua Van made a huge leap in the UFC P4P rankings following his win over former flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331. The champ is breaking records at a fast pace.
Following his thriller at UFC 331, flyweight champion Joshua Van has officially entered the upper echelon of combat sports. The UFC pound-for-pound rankings were updated following the event, and Van made a massive leap, surging five spots to claim the No. 6 ranking in the world.
The jump comes right on the heels of Van retaining his 125-pound title in an instant classic against former champion Alexandre Pantoja at Crypto.com Arena.
Shaking Up the Elite Standings
With an updated professional record of 18-2, Van now sits just outside the top five overall fighters in the promotion. Only lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, featherweight titan Alexander Volkanovski, Justin Gaethje, bantamweight Petr Yan, and featherweight standout Ilia Topuria remain ahead of him on the global men's pound-for-pound list.
Van's leap past heavy-hitters like former middleweight champion Sean Strickland and heavyweight Tom Aspinall proves how much weight the rankings placed on his tactical performance against Pantoja. The former titleholder, meanwhile, fell one spot down to No. 14 following the hard-fought battle.
The latest update wasn't just big for the flyweight king, either. Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan also climbed one spot to No. 13 after his violent first-round stoppage over Mauricio Ruffy on the same fight card.
For Van, the No. 6 P4P ranking is a mind-boggling achievement considering his brief timeline in the sport. Having only started training combat sports a handful of years ago, the young phenom has cleared out top contenders and defeated a battle-tested legend in Pantoja to solidify his reign.
Flyweight divisions historically fight for mainstream recognition compared to heavier weight classes, but Van’s rapid evolution and razor-sharp striking are forcing everyone to take notice. Sitting at No. 6 in the world, the flyweight king is no longer just a fast-rising prospect, he is firmly established as one of the premier martial artists on the planet.
