Joshua Van proudly wore designation of one of many UFC’s most lively fighters as 2023 become 2024 and he fell right into a half-year of inactivity.
The break within the motion wasn’t as a result of Van (10-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) referred to as timeout, which frustrates him even now that he has a combat on the books for Saturday at UFC on ESPN 59 in Denver.
“I’m simply completely satisfied to have a combat,” Van not too long ago advised MMA Junkie. “It’s been six months that I haven’t fought. I’m simply excited to get again. Hopefully this one goes by means of.”
In April, opponent Lucas Rocha pulled out to as a consequence of damage. Van was then booked for June 1 vs. Tatsuro Taira, however the promotion cut up the matchup and rebooked the fighters towards totally different opponents for June 15.
On June 14, Van weighed in and made weight, however opponent Tagir Ulanbekov missed by 3.5 kilos and the combat was scrapped. Going by means of the complete course of with out a combat, Van misplaced his style for combating for a short while, he admitted.
“That is type of getting annoying,” Van stated. “I bought to the purpose the place I didn’t even wish to prepare and sh*t like that. Once I got here again from Vegas two or three weeks in the past, I didn’t even wish to prepare, man. I simply stayed at dwelling for per week, per week and half. After that, that’s when my supervisor referred to as me and I went again to coaching and sh*t like that. This factor is getting annoying.”
Van’s coaches, teammates, and mom helped him ultimately carry his motivation again. That’s when the telephone rang. It was his supervisor Jason Home. Whereas the method from there was up and down, ultimately Van discovered a prepared combatant: Charles Johnson (15-6 MMA, 4-4 UFC).
“I bought his identify a day earlier than I signed the contract,” Van stated. “I stated, ‘Sure, I wish to combat him.’ Then, my supervisor referred to as me a pair hours later and so they gave me a distinct identify. It was a greater matchup. Not only a higher matchup, but it surely was a greater alternative. I stated, ‘I’d combat that man.’ It seems that man doesn’t wish to combat me. The following day, I feel I despatched Jason (Home) a screenshot like, ‘I feel Johnson needs to combat me. Why don’t we combat him?’ And he’s like, ‘All proper, I’ll work on it.’ The following day, he despatched me a contract.”
In a world the place it’s “cool” to speak trash to your opponent, Van has nothing however respect and admiration for Johnson, the lone man prepared to step up at this second in time.
“I like it, I like it,” Van stated. “I really like every part he stands for. Like I stated, he stepped up. Lots of people don’t wish to combat me brief discover. I do know we’re each brief discover, however he stepped up. A lot respect to him. His model his artful. Come combat day, it’s going to be who’s ready extra and stuff like that. I’m very, very excited for this one.”
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