Joshua Van’s Relentless Boxing Wore Down Bruno Silva
Joshua Van stopped Bruno Silva through strikes at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025. The flyweight contest at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, ended at 4:01 of the third round after Van built pressure through accurate punching and repeated knockdowns.
The attack became more damaging as the fight progressed
Van was quicker and more precise during the exchanges, gradually increasing the effectiveness of his boxing. He dropped Silva twice in the second round but still needed another round to complete the finish.
The third-round stoppage gave Van a fourth consecutive victory. It also closed the preliminary card with a decisive result after he had maintained the stronger offense across the contest.
Three decisions had rebuilt his momentum
Van had lost to Charles Johnson by third-round knockout in July 2024. He responded with unanimous-decision victories over Edgar Chairez that September and Cody Durden in December.
A further decision over Rei Tsuruya followed in March 2025. Defeating Silva therefore added a stoppage to a run that had previously depended on winning completed three-round contests.
The result preceded a major breakthrough year
Van returned against Brandon Royval three weeks later and won another unanimous decision. That result led to a championship meeting with Alexandre Pantoja in December 2025.
He won the title through an injury stoppage twenty-six seconds into the opening round. The Silva performance was an earlier, more sustained demonstration of his offense: a three-round build that showed how his boxing could turn repeated success into a late finish.
Sources
- UFC: accurate boxing, second-round knockdowns and late stoppage
- UFC: Johnson defeat, rebuilding victories, Royval result and title win
- UFC: June 7 event date and Newark post-fight interview
