Top UFC Flyweight Contender Responds After Brutal Joshua Van Title Fight Update

The UFC flyweight division may have faced scrunity over the years, but it's now undergoing a new era, with Joshua Van having become champion in December against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323 in Las Vegas.

It appears Van has his first opponent booked, although there has been no official word from the UFC. That's at least if you trust flyweight contender Manel Kape, who has won his last three fights and seven of his first 10 UFC appearances.

In a recent tweet on Saturday, Kape revealed he was in negotiations with the UFC to try and fight Van on short notice in the co-main event of UFC 326, March 7 in Las Vegas.

But, it appears the promotion has other plans.

Fake news. I am not fighting my “son” Joshua Van.

My team and I have been pushing for this fight since my last one. However, according to the UFC, they had already promised the title shot to Tatsuro Taira after he defeated Brandon Royval.

Even knowing that, we kept pushing to… https://t.co/Xrl9pwHcoB
— Manel Kape (@ManelKape) February 15, 2026

"Fake news. I am not fighting my “son” Joshua Van," Kape tweeted. "My team and I have been pushing for this fight since my last one. However, according to the UFC, they had already promised the title shot to Tatsuro Taira after he defeated Brandon Royval. Even knowing that, we kept pushing to make this fight happen on March 7th. UFC told us there was a strong possibility. I was already cutting weight by Monday I was down to 144 lbs."

So, based on Kape's assessment, timing was the biggest factor in making the fight a reality. Nonetheless, though, it appears the promotion has an interest in seeing Kape go to the next level and chase a title with his body of work.

Van, meanwhile, isn't interested in waiting around, as he went in on Kape during an interview with MMAJunkie last month.

"I hope one day, for sure, when he finds his balls and wanting to fight, maybe one day we could fight," Van said. "But as of right now, I guess not."

Van made sure Kape heard every word, even firing a contradiction his way, which Kape has essentially glossed over.

"Ask him," Van said of fighting Kape. "He would know. Last time I checked, the champ said yes, and the challenger said no."

It remains to be seen if the fight happens, but it appears both aren't too fond of one another. Therefore, the potential prefight banter should be interesting, to say the least.

At present, no UFC title fights (outside of the "BMF") are officially scheduled, leaving more questions than answers.

It's only a matter of time before that changes, however, as the schedule resumes next Saturday.

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