Din Thomas worries that Joshua Van’s UFC 323 title shot is premature
MMA analyst Din Thomas believes that there’s a chance Joshua Van’s UFC 323 title opportunity could be premature.
This Saturday night in the co-main event of UFC 323, Joshua Van will challenge Alexandre Pantoja for the UFC flyweight championship. At the age of just 24, the challenger has the opportunity to become one of the youngest champions in the history of the promotion.
Pantoja, meanwhile, is looking to cement his legacy as one of the best flyweights in the history of mixed martial arts. Many would argue that he has already managed to do that, but as he continues to build up his resume, every single win he accumulates further proves that he is one of the best champions in the entire sport right now.
In a recent podcast appearance, the aforementioned Din Thomas explained why he thinks this may be too much, too soon for Joshua Van.
Thomas’ view on Van’s title shot
“I think Pantoja, I don’t want to say walks through him, but I think stylistically, he has all the advantages to make this look exactly the way he beat Kai Kara-France, and I think it’s going to look similar to that,” Thomas told MMA Junkie. “I think he’s going to fake some takedowns and get Van thinking about that takedown, then he’s going to bust him up a little bit on the feet then take him down, and eventually probably get his back and choke him out.
“And I say this will all due respect because Joshua Van, like Waldo Cortes-Acosta, is one of my favorite fighters right now. But stylistically, I just don’t think he’s at the level right now to be able to deal with Pantoja. This guy’s only been doing this for five years. Like, Pantoja was probably a black belt five years ago so, I think it’s a little premature for him.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie
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