Joshua Van sees Alexandre Pantoja as UFC flyweight GOAT

LAS VEGAS – Demetrious Johnson is almost unanimously seen as the greatest fighter of all time at flyweight, but not everyone agrees. Joshua Van believes the current champion, Alexandre Panatoja, carries that title.

Van (15-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) challenges UFC flyweight champion Pantoja (30-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) this Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 323 (pay-per-view, ESPN2/FX/Disney+, ESPN+), which takes place at T-Mobile Arena. Van feels he's facing the flyweight GOAT, and he couldn't be more excited for the life-changing opportunity.

"We have to give credit to Pantoja – he's the greatest of all time in my eyes," Van told MMA Junkie and other media at the UFC 323 media day on Wednesday. "This is the up-and-coming vs. the great."

There's no doubt Pantoja has done a standout job in his career. He's the champion who has defended the title four times, something nobody has been able to do at 125 pounds since Johnson's historic 11 consecutive UFC title defenses.

The reason why Van sees Pantoja as the flyweight GOAT might have to do with him being part of the new generation of fans and fighters that weren't around for the prime of "Mighty Mouse."

"I started watching UFC fights after 2017, so I didn't really see Demetrious Johnson fight," Van said. "All I saw was Pantoja. When he got the belt, that's when I made my debut and things like that, so I'm used to seeing him at the top, so that's why I say he's the greatest of all time."

Van, 24, will make history the moment he sets foot in the octagon on Saturday. He will be the first fighter born in the 2000s to challenge for a UFC title.

"It feels great to represent the younger generation," Van said. "Like, look at that sh*t, the 2000s, the fighters born in the 2000's, that's history, too. I'm just feeling like every time I fight, I make history."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 323: Joshua Van believes he's facing flyweight GOAT