The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Daniel Cormier TV - Joshua Van GUARANTEES win vs. Alexandre Pantoja to become NEW UFC CHAMPION

Episode Date: December 6, 2025

Daniel Cormier IS BACK with his check-in interviews at UFC 323 in Las Vegas, and this time JOSHUA VAN makes his DC check-in debut ahead of a HUGE TITLE FIGHT vs. the champion Alexandre Pantoja. See why Van argues that Pantoja is already the flyweight GOAT over Demetrious Johnson. Plus, Van talks about his win over Royval, and why he believes this title shot is LONG OVERDUE. Van tells Cormier that he wants to become one of the youngest UFC champions ever, and guarantees Saturday he'll achieve his dream. #Volume All lines provided by Hard Rock BetSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Here's something that should not be as complicated as it is, getting a racist statue removed. And here's something that should be a whole lot easier than it is, getting a new one put up in its place. I'm Akela Hughes, and Rebel Spirit Season 2 is about both of those things. As I was watching these statues come down, I was thinking about what it meant that I grew up in a majority black city in which there were more homages to enslavers than there were to enslave people. Listen to Rebel Spirit season two on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Turn someday into right now with Buddy by Jake Radio, nonstop workout music and expert tips 24-7.

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That is not the look of an innocent man. Is everyone lying to me about who they are? I felt such desperation. I felt it was what I had to do. Listen to deep cover the family man. On the I heart. radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The volume. All right, guys, today's show is brought to you by our new sponsor, Hard Rock Bet. Hard Rock Bet is a top-rated sportsbook app. It might just take the belt from any other sportsbook app that you use once you open it up

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with it. And if you have a gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler. I'm here with Joshua Van. Challenges for the UFC Flyway Championship this weekend against Alessandre Pantosia. Josh Van, thank you for checking in with the boy, man. I appreciate you.

You get a little bit of that championship media, huh? You like it? Yeah. It's a lot, boy, yeah, I like it. It's a lot, especially when you're hungry. Yes. For sure. I got some food over here. You're like, yo, is that wingstop?

Yeah, I was going to go grab that. No, you better stay away from that. Whatever you get on Saturday night is going to be much better if you become a world champion. When I become a champion. When you become a world champion. Did this time frame for this title fight, like, could you have imagined it would be here as soon? Because I got to tell you, I remember the first fighter meeting we did. And I spoke to you about, right?

You said, I've been wrestling for six months, man. Yes, sir. And I don't feel like that was that long ago. It feels like this has happened very quickly. Yeah. I don't know, man. You know, I think this is like the perfect timing, you know what I mean, for me to get this opportunity. Like, I wanted to get it sooner, but I think this is the perfect timing.

You thought sooner you deserve to be fighting for the belt? Yes. I always tell my manager, man, I want to be the youngest champion. But, you know, I took that loss back in 2020, or four, you know what I mean? And that kind of slowed me down. That was the best thing that ever happened to me. So now I'm mentally prepared physically.

You know what I mean? So I'm ready. I was wondering about that. When a young guy takes a loss for the first time in the UFC like that, what did you learn from it? What did you learn from that that allowed for you to be who you are right now? Well, like, I don't want to get too spiritually and things like that, you know what I mean? I just found myself basically, you know what I mean? So, and the work ethic that I put in now, I'm more disciplined and things like that.

So mentally and physically, I'm well-prepared. When you're young, though, there's a lot that comes with being a UFC fighter because now you have access to things, bro. How old are you now? 24, 23? 24 years old. If I was in this position at 24 years old or maybe 23 and 22 like you were, I don't know that I'd be okay as most struggle, right? John Jones, for one.

Look at how crazy he was as a young guy that had all this success. How did you avoid that, not falling victim to all those traps that comes with fame, stardom and being on the world stage at such a young age? That guy right there. That guy kept me on my, you know what I mean? He always check on me and things like that. Not just him, but all the coaches, man, if I slack off, man, they get on my ass.

So that's what kept me humble and keep me in the gym. Yeah, that's the most important thing. Yes, sir. Staying active. And you're young now, too. Like, you don't feel the practices as much as people feel them when they get older. But trust me, you do this long enough. Watch when you wake up after a practice at 30, opposed to 21.

You're like a Superman right now. I keep telling them, man. I'm getting old. No, you're not. trust me. When I was your age, you could fall on the wrestling mat a hundred times a day and not feel nothing. Now I'm like showing technique the other day

my knee gave out on me. I was just standing up. Oh, no. I was just standing up, man. It's bad. But now you're here, right? You have an opportunity to fight for the world championship. But that came after an absolute

barn burner with Brandon Roy Val. Yes. Your boxing obviously is what you're known for. You take down defenses. I actually gotten so good that nobody can take it out in their force. to box with you. But in that fight with Roy Val, it was crazy, bro.

Yes. You dropped them in the third to pretty much solidify the victory. Did you guys know going into the third round? Hey, man, there might be 1-1. I got to find a way to separate myself from this guy. Yes. Well, I actually thought I won all three rounds, right? Really?

Like, it was the jab. Like, he was hitting you with a lot of jabs. Like in the second effort that might have swung it in his... Yeah, yeah. That probably what it is. But then I was landing the damage... I was doing more damage and things like that. But I think, like, the fans who see, like, one-on-one going to that fight.

And then the coaches was telling me it was one-on-one. So, you know what I mean, that third round, I know I got to step up and things like that. You dropped it. Yes. You probably were thinking to yourself, God, yes. Yes, there's no doubt now. Yes, I thought I finished it. I thought I was going to finish him.

But then the time was, time went too fast. Yo, that's going to be fight at the year. Yes. That's a fight of the year. I love that, yes. Yeah, I think that. that is the fight of your hands down, the skill level, the thing. But most importantly to me, it showed me that you can now deal with adversity.

I knew after that fight you were kind of ready to challenge for a championship. Do you feel like you grew up in that fight? Yeah, for sure. No, I feel like I grew in the Chirrish fight in the spear. You know, how I was about to knock him out and then he grabbed the cage and spinning over. Yep, yep, yep. And, you know what I mean? I got back up and finished the fight.

You know what I mean? So I think that kind of show me who I am as a fighter. I think most people are excited about who you are and know who you are. Alessandria Pantoja, right? This guy is putting together a resume that rivals some of the greatest champion in UFC history. When you got the call that you were going to get to fight him for the championship, how excited were you? And when you guys went to work to start breaking him down, what stuck out the most of you?

his ground for sure right he's one of the in my eyes he's the greatest of all time in our division right just because you know that's he's he's all I see you know that's kind of great Demetri Johnson bro Dimitris Johnson bro like to say something like that it's just it's almost like saying LeBron is better than Michael Jordan because you're young and you didn't see Michael Jordan play yeah you see but that's that's all I see you know when I made my debut

he was a champion I'm giving you some runway to take that back, man. Demetri is Johnson, maybe I'm going to have to go and see his place. You've got to watch him, dude. Just watch the mousetrap. He threw one guy in the air, and as he was going to the ground,

he put him in an arm bar. That's dope. That's dope, bro. It was the sickest submission. You guys remember now? He lifted him in the air. Yeah. Okay, but Pantosia is right there, right?

And when you start breaking him down and you see that ground game, how do you make sure that that wrestling that we spoke about on day one holds up to be able to defend yourself against him trying to take. to the ground. Yeah, but all of the guys that he fought after he got that belt, right, is the guys he already beat. So mentally he already beaten. You know what I mean? So,

and they're giving him too much respect when they fight him. Like, you know, going backward, like, look at Kai fight. Like, most of the takedown that Pantosia was landing on him, it wasn't because he was great. Like, he was great at shooting takedowns and things like that. It was because Kai was backing up, backing up, and he tripped on himself. type of thing too, you know what I mean? So I'm not going to make the same mistake. You don't go backwards, though? Yeah, that's the thing. You don't back up. Yeah. But he has been willing to stand in trade when he had to, right? With Brandon Moreno, it seemed like he was the aggressor in the striking. Do you expect him to be willing to stand

with you like that, or you think he's going to take down right away? Well, my striking is very different from Moreno. You know, Moreno. Yeah, Moreno is just like, you know, you know, He's just a fast puncher guys, you know what I mean? But me, I got my timing. You know what I mean? I don't just to throw, you know what I mean? I set up things and things like that. So that's what's going to make different in this fight.

Have you thought about 25 minutes? Have you thought about, like, fighting a 25-minute fight? Because that's a whole different ball game. Yeah. I mean, I spar seven rounds, things like that, you know, five minutes. So there's nothing new to me, man. become a world champion. Like what do you, what does that mean to you if at Saturday night, you hear Ann New? I mean everything to me, you know what I mean? Like I always said, I never thought,

I never think I'm successful until I get that, that belt, you know what I mean? And just getting the belt, representing my country, Myanmar. And you know what I mean, giving that belt to my mom will mean the word to me. How do you keep that perspective? Because I saw a video recently where Rahu Lus Jr. was saying he got 10 grand, he spent it in a week because he was a young kid that got lost. Like, how do you keep that perspective? You spent it? I did the same shit with my first two UFC check. You got rid of it.

Would you buy? I don't even know. It lasted me a week or something. And then this guy is like, what's your money? And I look at my bank, it was, it's gone. So what now? What are you doing differently? Now, I call him.

I was like, hey, what am I doing with, you know, this? What can I buy? What can I, you know? And so they keep me on track, man, my coaches. Perspective is important. But I tell you one thing, if you win that belt on Saturday, you ain't really have to look at that bank account as closely no more. They have a lot of zeros in there, too.

It's nice. Hopefully. You usually sleep better. Steak tastes better. What's your favorite meal? A steak for sure. Steak is your favorite meal? Yes.

You become the champion and you get those checks, steak tastes like they literally, the, Kyle, they stab him, take him off, put him right on the grill, right on your plate. That's what steak starts to taste like. I'm going to start having breakfast, dinner. It's the best feeling in the world. Congratulations, my man. Guys, Joshua Van challenges for the Flyway Championship this weekend.

UFC 323 against Alessandre Pantosia, a young man who's done so much so quickly. Get excited by Josh Van. He has an opportunity to make history on Saturday night. Until next time, peace. Hey, guys, it's us and the Jonas brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick.

Guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know.

Tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Turn Someday into right now with Buddy by Jake No, stop workout music and expert tips 24-7. Hey, head over to iHeart.com. Search Body by Jake Radio and stream it for free right now. Awesome health and wellness tips 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Remember, stick to the fight. When your heart is hit, it's when things seem worse that you must not quit.

Don't quit. Body by Jake Radio, where hope meets momentum. Search Body by Jake Radio and stream it for free. Have a great day. Here's something that should not be as complicated as it is. getting a racist statue removed. And here's something that should be a whole lot easier than it is, getting a new one put up in its place.

I'm Akela Hughes, and Rebel Spirit Season 2 is about both of those things. As I was watching these statues come down, I was thinking about what it meant that I grew up in a majority black city in which there were more homages to enslavers than there were to enslave people. Listen to Rebel Spirit Season 2 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life?

That is not the look of an innocent man. Is everyone lying to me about who they are? I felt such desperation. I felt it was what I had to do. Listen to Deep Cover the Family Man on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. human.