Sean Strickland expressed respect for Joshua Van following UFC 328. Strickland told his coach during Van's fight that it was the kind of performance he wanted to deliver himself. He acknowledged Van as a tougher fighter than himself. The post highlights that both fighters performed at a high level during the event. Strickland's comments came after watching Van compete earlier in the evening.
Middleweight champion Sean Strickland made a point of singling out flyweight champion Joshua Van for praise following their shared card at UFC 328 on May 9, offering some of the most candid words of respect he has publicly directed toward a fellow fighter.
Strickland, 35, holds a 31-7-0 record and is the reigning middleweight champion representing Xtreme Couture out of the United States. Standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, he is one of the most active strikers in the sport, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. After watching Van compete earlier in the evening, Strickland told his coach it was exactly the kind of performance he aspired to deliver himself — and went further, acknowledging Van as a tougher fighter than he considers himself to be.
Van, known as "The Fearless," is the flyweight champion at just 24 years old, carrying a 17-2-0 record out of Myanmar under the 4oz. Fight Club banner. His numbers back up the praise Strickland offered. Van lands 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 56 percent, figures that place him among the most efficient finishers in the division. He stands five-foot-five with a 65-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance, mirroring Strickland in style if not in size.
Why it matters
- Van's performance was notable enough to draw unsolicited public respect from a fellow champion, raising his profile beyond the flyweight division.
- Strickland's comments add a social dimension to UFC 328's aftermath, reflecting well on both fighters' standing within the roster.
- The cross-divisional acknowledgment underscores how Van, still only 24, is beginning to be viewed as one of the more complete fighters on the current roster regardless of weight class.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
