UFC flyweight contender Joshua Van has said that his knockout loss to Charles Johnson last year was one of the best things that could've happened to him.
As we know, 23-year-old Joshua Van is the number one contender for the UFC flyweight championship. He looks set to challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the belt in a fight that pits the old guard against the new, with many wondering whether or not Van has what it takes to become one of the youngest UFC champions of all time.
However, while he may be on a great five-fight win streak, Joshua Van has two losses to his name - both by finish. In the latest of those two defeats, he was knocked out by Charles Johnson last year in what was fairly surprising for those who always knew his full potential.
In a recent interview, Joshua Van spoke candidly about how losing in such a way actually helped him grow.
Joshua Van reveals impact of defeat
“It was just the faith thing. The loss was the greatest thing that ever happened to me, because if not, I would have been out of the world—get a big head and things like that. I got humble real quick. Now, I never want to go back to that type of moment. So, I’m just staying in my lane, doing what coach is telling me to do, so that none of that type of thing will ever happen to me again.”
Get ready, folks, because a new star is rising.