Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van acknowledged he was taken aback by Joe Rogan’s comments at the UFC 331 ceremonial weigh-in.

Joshua Van successfully defended his UFC flyweight title against former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja last weekend at UFC 331. After winning the belt following Pantoja’s injury in their first fight at UFC 323, Van put all questions to rest as he outdueled Pantoja in a five-round classic.

In the lead-up to UFC 331, many questioned whether or not Van would be able to get the upper hand on Pantoja after how abruptly their first fight finished. One such skeptic was Joe Rogan, who hinted at Van’s win over Pantoja being ‘by accident’ in his interview with Van during the UFC 331 ceremonial weigh-in.

Many fans and pundits were taken aback by Rogan’s comments ahead of UFC 331, including Van himself. While Van does a good job of tuning out the noise, he took Rogan’s comments personally heading into UFC 331.

Joshua Van taken aback by Joe Rogan’s ‘accident’ narrative in UFC 331 interview

In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Van was asked about Rogan’s comments and whether or not he took them personally.

“A little bit, I ain’t even gonna lie, man, a little bit,” Van said of Rogan’s remarks.

“It was kind of f—– up that he said that. But, you know, much love to Joe Rogan. You know what it is. … I don’t really give a f— what other people say, but Joe Rogan is someone that I look up to.

“For him to say that, it was kind of like, ‘Damn’…” (h/t MMA Junkie)

As of this writing, Rogan hasn’t responded to Van’s comments.

Rogan has made several perceived slip-ups during his UFC commentary career. He’s been criticized for perceived favoritism in his analysis of fighters by fans and pundits.

Who should Joshua Van face next after UFC 331? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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