Joshua Van has only been in the UFC for a short time, yet his rise has been fast enough to catch the attention of an entire division. At just 24 years old, he enters UFC 323 as the #1 flyweight contender, preparing to challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the belt. But behind the win streaks and rapid climb sits a deeper story of a fighter shaped by displacement, conflict, and identity.

That’s why it’s no surprise that fans keep asking: Where is he really from? And why does the flag he carries mean so much to him? As the first Burmese fighter in UFC history, Van steps into the Octagon with more than his own ambitions on his shoulders. He represents a country still grappling with political turmoil, a community spread across the world, and a childhood marked by constant change. To understand why the Myanmar flag matters so much to him, we need to go back to the beginning.

Where is Joshua Van from? Ethnicity & nationality

Joshua Van was born in Hakha, Myanmar (formerly Burma), in October 2001. He grew up in a home with five siblings, surrounded by the instability that has shaped daily life in the region for decades. As violence escalated, his family made the difficult decision to leave the country. Their first stop was Malaysia, a temporary refuge, before they finally settled in Houston, Texas, when Van was 12.

But moving to America didn’t mean the struggles stopped. Suddenly dropped into a new language, a new school system, and a completely unfamiliar culture, Van spent his early teens feeling out of place. He’s spoken openly about being bullied and having to defend himself constantly.

He told MMA Junkie, “I was a small kid. Where I come from, you get picked on. It’s kind of like I fight every day—and I got to the point where I enjoyed fighting. I watched clips on street fights and how to win street fights. I tried it in my next fight and things like that. That’s what got me into my career.”

This makes his identity uniquely layered. Ethnically Burmese, born in Myanmar, and now holding American nationality through residency, ‘The Fearless’ stands at the crossroads of two worlds. His roots are deep in Myanmar, but his journey was forged in the United States. And that path from Southeast Asia to Houston didn’t just build a fighter. It built the story behind the flag he carries.

Joshua Van’s journey from Myanmar to the United States and the Flag controversy 

Joshua Van’s life changed the moment he stepped onto American soil. Middle school was a harsh introduction. He didn’t speak English. Kids picked on him. And the life he once knew felt impossibly far away. He once asked his mother why they even lived in Houston instead of going home, but returning to Myanmar simply wasn’t an option.

To cope, he turned to what gave him confidence: fighting. Inspired by Bruce Lee movies and online videos, he taught himself how to win street fights. That toughness carried him into martial arts gyms, where he found purpose. 

“Myself—I love myself!” he famously joked when asked who his favorite fighter was by the UFC. But behind the humor was a young man fighting for identity, belonging, and stability.

His amateur debut came in 2020. One year later, he turned pro. By the end of 2022, he captured Fury FC gold, which earned him a short-notice UFC debut. That debut made history: Joshua Van became the first Burmese fighter to compete in the UFC.

And then he made more history. Van secured Myanmar’s first UFC victory, beating Zhalgas Zhumagulov by split decision. 

He told MMA Junkie, “It meant a lot of things for me. It meant everything to me, to be able to represent my country on the biggest stage. It felt amazing, man. The only thing was I can’t have my flag in there, man. If I were able to have the Myanmar flag in there, that would be amazing. That’s the only thing that was going on.”

The issue? According to Van, officials weren’t even sure if Myanmar was a recognized country. 

He later revealed, “I think it was the commission or something, they didn’t know if Myanmar was a country or not. That’s what they told me. I was pulling out Google and sh*t to show them that Myanmar is a country. The UFC team worked on getting my flag, especially after my last fight, the win, where I wore the mouth guard. That played a big part.”

After that, the UFC worked to secure his flag for future events, and now, ahead of UFC 323, he finally gets to carry it without restriction. Will he become Myanmar’s first UFC champion? Or will the moment belong to the veteran king of the division?