Joshua Van vs Rei Tsuruya — Fight recap

Joshua Van earned a unanimous decision over Rei Tsuruya across all three rounds on March 8, 2025, outstriking his opponent through disciplined striking and superior accuracy. Van landed 59 of 97 significant strikes at 60% efficiency, including 39 head strikes, while Tsuruya managed only 32 of 84 significant strikes at 38%.

Though Tsuruya secured four takedowns on 21 attempts and controlled 3:49 of cage time, Van's striking volume and precision dictated the pace throughout. Van's body work proved particularly effective, connecting on 19 of 22 attempts, and he controlled just under a minute on the feet, enough to edge the grappling exchanges.

Referee Jason Herzog and the judges saw a clear technical victory for Van, who demonstrated superior striking fundamentals against a wrestler-heavy approach. The win positions Van as a rising contender in his division while raising questions about Tsuruya's path forward against elite strikers.