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Dana White believes the flyweight division is in good hands with Joshua Van as the champion.

Van showed his championship grit in his title defense against Alexandre Pantoja in the UFC 331 headliner this past Saturday. This was Van’s chance to prove he is indeed the definitive flyweight champion after his first title bout with Pantoja ended early due to an injury. Van vs. Pantoja 2 went the distance in a thrilling five-round clash. In the end, it was the champion who had a spectacular closing round, and he earned the unanimous decision win.

White was more than happy to give Van and Pantoja “Fight of the Night” bonuses. Speaking to media members during the UFC 331 post-fight press conference, White said it’s can’t be overstated just how much Van means to the 125-pound weight class (h/t MMAJunkie).

“It was incredible,” White said. “He’s the greatest thing ever for that division, too. He brings a lot of flash and excitement and fun to the division. That was a great fight.

“If you look at how the fight ended with that freak injury, which sucks. It’s a sh*tty way to win and a sh*tty way to lose. Then he goes out and defends. He just keeps looking more and more confident. How about the takedown defense? Unbelievable. How about the escape from mount? The kid looks incredible. He looks better every time he fights and that’s what it takes to be a long-reigning champion. You have to look better every time out. Especially against a guy like Pantoja.”

Van revealed that he tore the AC joint in his right shoulder a month ago, and he could only do cardio prior to the final two weeks of camp. The flyweight champion plans to get an MRI to check the status of his shoulder soon.

If Joshua Van can avoid being on the sidelines for a lengthy period of time, who should be his next title challenger? Let your voice be heard in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM