Opinion: Joshua Van Is Doing Everything Right

Among the fights that got lost in the shuffle of a highly successful UFC 316 card was Joshua Van putting a brutal beatdown upon a game Bruno Silva. Already a favorite of MMA talking heads, Van established himself as the most likely future UFC champion of anyone who was sitting outside the top ten the official UFC rankings within their respective divisions. He hurt the durable “Bulldog” on several occasions but never went crazy looking for the kill. It was a mature performance that belied his youthful 23 years upon this earth. Even more impactful, it belied the less than four years in which Van has been a professional MMA fighter.

For those who have been watching Van’s career, it really isn’t…