"That's crazy right? Because before the (Brandon) Royval fight they was like, 'even if you lose, it's okay'. I don't plan on losing. I'm here to take that belt from one of the greatest in our division," Van told reporters on Wednesday. "That's the goal and I stay at that."
There's no question about the fact that Merab is a great warrior. He showed with his fights that he is a deserving champion, that he deserves to be where he's at, but I also want to say that with my fights and with my performances I showed that there is no other clear #1 contender,
It's crazy, I feel like I just found a new motivation in life. I was this close to retiring when I fought Brandon Royval. But after time off with my family, with my loved ones, I found I really love this sport. I really love to throw punches with a fighter in the middle of the Octagon with thousands of people [watching].