Flyweight Fighter Chairez Motivated by Champ Van's Title Run

Chairez believes he beat Van in their 2024 fight, wants to climb UFC flyweight ladder

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Edgar Chairez, an unranked UFC flyweight, feels he proved he's among the world's best when he fought current UFC champion Joshua Van in a close decision in 2024. Chairez won the first round on all three judges' scorecards, scored a knockdown in Round 1, and rocked Van twice in Round 2, but ultimately lost the fight. Chairez is now motivated to climb the UFC flyweight ladder and believes he can work his way to a title shot against Van.

Why it matters

Chairez's close fight with the current UFC flyweight champion shows he has the potential to be an elite fighter in the division. His confidence in his abilities despite the loss could drive him to make a run at the title, adding an interesting storyline to the UFC flyweight landscape.

The details

Chairez (12-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has already put together an impressive resume in the UFC, with his only two losses coming against Van and Tatsuro Taira, who is considered the No. 1 contender. Chairez believes he actually beat Van in their 2024 fight, winning the first round on all three judges' scorecards and scoring a knockdown, even though Van ultimately won the fight. Chairez is now motivated to keep climbing the UFC flyweight ladder, with hopes of earning a title shot against Van.

  • Chairez and Van fought at Noche UFC in 2024.
  • Van went on to win the UFC flyweight title about a year after fighting Chairez.
  • Chairez returns to the cage on Feb. 28 at UFC Fight Night 268 against Brazil's Felipe Bunes.

The players

Edgar Chairez

An unranked UFC flyweight fighter who believes he proved he's among the world's best when he fought current UFC champion Joshua Van in a close decision in 2024.

Joshua Van

The current UFC flyweight champion, who defeated Chairez in a close fight in 2024 before going on to win the title.

Tatsuro Taira

A flyweight fighter considered the No. 1 contender in the UFC, who has also defeated Chairez.

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What they’re saying

“I see it as confidence for me. A lot of people say (Van) took the fight on short notice, but he had a fight the following week, so he was training. It wasn't really short notice. I also had some issues. My dad had passed away a few weeks before. I didn't want to fight, but in the end, I chose to fight because I needed money. But all the pros and cons in the end get pushed to the side. We both chose to fight, and we put on a great fight.”

— Edgar Chairez (Hablemos MMA)

“I've seen the fight a few times, and to me, I beat him. Maybe there was a close round because he did connect a few good shots, but I recovered, and I knocked him down twice. But that doesn't matter now. I thought I won, but mentally I tell myself, 'No, you didn't win because you need to finish, and you don't win a fight by points.' I think you're already losing if you're thinking about outpointing someone.”

— Edgar Chairez (Hablemos MMA)

What’s next

Chairez returns to the cage on Feb. 28 at UFC Fight Night 268 against Brazil's Felipe Bunes. He's excited to finally be fighting again and hopes to remain more active in 2026 so he can climb the UFC flyweight ladder.

The takeaway

Chairez's close fight with the current UFC flyweight champion shows he has the potential to be an elite fighter in the division. His confidence in his abilities despite the loss could drive him to make a run at the title, adding an interesting storyline to the UFC flyweight landscape.