NEW YORK – [autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag] shined at UFC 295, but he didn’t get the finish he was looking for.
Myanmar’s Van (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) defeated Kevin Borjas (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) by unanimous decision this past Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
Van entered the UFC with a 100 percent finish rate, but his first two octagon wins have come by decision.
“I’m feeling great, but at the same time I feel a little bit of disappointment,” Van told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “Because last time I told you guys I was going to get the finish. We didn’t get the finish, so I guess next time for sure.”
Van had Borjas hurt to the body multiple times but said he was too tentative throughout the fight.
“The thing is I was trying to time his timing,” Van said. “I was trying to get his timing right. So, I think I waited too long and that’s what got me messed up in the fight. Next time I’ll push the pace from the start to the finish.”
Having competed five times in 2022, and just twice in 2023, Van would love it if he could return as soon as possible.
“What’s next for me is they told me I’ve got to wait seven days to fight, so I want to fight next week,” Van said. “But I want to stay as active as possible, you know, while I’m young.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.