Now ranked no. 1 in the flyweight division, Joshua Van might be earning praise from fight fans across the world, but in the Bisping household, not everyone is on board. In fact, someone very close to Michael Bisping isn’t exactly cheering for the UFC’s newest flyweight sensation. So, who’s the critic, and what happened that led to him not being on board the Van-hype train after UFC 317?
On episode 642 of the Believe You Me podcast on YouTube, the former middleweight champion shared a surprisingly relatable moment with co-host Paul Felder. It wasn’t about technique or trash talk; it was envy.
“23 years old,” Bisping said, referring to Van’s age. Felder responded, “Yeah, he’s a kid. He’s a kid!” ‘The Count’ then continued by sharing, “Callum’s 24 now, and Callum’s like, ‘Oh, I hate this guy.’ And I said, ‘Why?’ He was joking. He’s like, ‘He’s 23 and look at what he’s doing with his life. He’s making me feel bad.’”
It’s not every day you hear a fighter get shade for simply being ahead of schedule. But when you’re a young athlete watching another 23-year-old light up the Octagon on short notice at UFC 317, those feelings hit close to home.
Van, who replaced Manel Kape and fought Brandon Royval just weeks after knocking out Bruno Silva, has been turning heads. While his fight went down as a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender, it also became the moment Callum Bisping decided he’d had enough!
UFC 316 in New Jersey Joshua Van of Myanmar fights Bruno Silva of Brazil in the flyweight bout during UFC 316 at the Prudential Center on June 07, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. NEW YORK NEW YORK UNITED OF AMERICA Copyright: xVANESSAxCARVALHOx
To be fair, Michael Bisping’s eldest son isn’t just a casual spectator. The 24-year-old has a strong amateur wrestling background as he competed in the NCAA Division 2 out of San Francisco State University and reportedly trains at Team Alpha Male, the same gym that helped shape names like Cody Garbrandt and Urijah Faber. He’s also competed and won Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, signaling a real desire to follow in his dad’s footsteps.
In fact, back in 2021, ‘The Count’ revealed that Callum had expressed serious interest in fighting professionally after cornering a friend in an MMA match. “He said, ‘Dad, would you train me for a fight?’” Bisping recalled at the time. The response? Equal parts pride and classic humor as he claimed, “When he does get there, guess what? There’s only f— one highlander and that’s me.”
But while Callum Bisping may be jokingly jealous of Van’s UFC success, there’s no denying what the 23-year-old flyweight has achieved. Immediately after his war with Brandon Royval at UFC 317, Joshua Van’s journey went from underdog to headliner. And now? He’s set for gold!
Joshua Van is ready for a ‘December title shot’ against Alexandre Pantoja as he quells injury fears
After a hard-fought decision win over Brandon Royval at UFC 317, Van didn’t get long to soak it all in. Minutes later, he was back inside the Octagon, facing off with champion Alexandre Pantoja. In an interview with MMA Junkie a few days after the fight, he confessed, “Sh–, I thought it was normal. Dana White said we were going to fight for the belt, right? So I thought if he already said that, it was supposed to be like that.”
Van made it clear he meant no disrespect but gave a “shoutout” to both the champion and the UFC for giving him his moment under the spotlight and “to show the people I’m really the next guy in line.”
With fans rallying behind him and attention soaring, the 23-year-old remains calm, even amid injury fears. He revealed he felt a toe “move” during the fight and feared it was broken. But subsequent X-rays cleared him of serious damage. So, what’s next? According to the flyweight contender, “Hopefully by the end of this year, we’ll be able to fight. The champ said he wants to fight around December, so why not December?”
Alexandre Pantoja reportedly wants to defend his title again by the end of the year, and Van is more than ready. So, whether it’s playful envy from Callum Bisping or a title shot looming on the horizon, one thing is clear: Joshua Van’s rise is impossible to ignore.
From stepping in on short notice to stealing the show at UFC 317, the 23-year-old has already left a mark that’s hard to shake. And while he may have ruffled feathers in the Bisping household, Van’s calm confidence and relentless work ethic suggest he’s just getting started. With a potential clash against Alexandre Pantoja lined up for December, the question now isn’t if Van is ready for gold, it’s whether even the champion can halt his momentum? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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