Manel Kape Targets New Flyweight Champ Joshua Van: 'I’m Going to Destroy Him'

Kape: “He won’t land anything. I’ll avoid everything.”

Kape says his confidence comes not from disrespect, but from stylistic clarity. Van is known for his exciting striking, but Kape believes the matchup plays entirely into his own hands.

He points to Royval a former interim title challenger known for chaos and volume as proof of his defensive growth.

“Even Brandon Royval didn’t throw anything on me,” Kape said. “It ain’t going to be Joshua Van landing anything. I’m going to avoid all his punches. Joshua Van is going to be the punching bag of Manel Kape.”

A “Banger,” But Only Because Kape Plans a One-Sided Beating

Fans expect fireworks if these two collide, but Kape insists the fight won’t resemble Van’s wild brawl with Royval earlier in the year a fight Kape calls entertaining but tactically reckless.

“Yes, it’s going to be a banger but with beautiful violence,” Kape said. “It’s not going to be a competitive fight. People think it will be, just like with Royval, but it won’t. I’m going to destroy him.”

Kape says Van’s past wars exposed “a lot of holes” that he fully intends to capitalize on.

“The Matchmakers Will Regret This”

Kape believes that when the dust settles, UFC officials will question whether they rushed Van into a title defense against someone as dangerous and experienced as him.

“When they see me fight Joshua Van, they’ll think, ‘What did we do?’ We threw this kid to hell,” Kape said.

“There will be a tremendous difference of levels.”

Kape Pushes for February or March Even With Ramadan Approaching

The Portuguese-Angolan standout wants the fight as early as possible in 2026 and has already zeroed in on a location.

Option 1: Feb. UFC event in Houston

Van lives and trains in Houston and Kape says he’s happy to walk straight into enemy territory.

Option 2: March 8 at UFC 326

Kape likes this date even more and is willing to headline the card if the UFC wants to reshuffle. “Let’s go March 8,” Kape said. “UFC can change, put Strickland in the co-main and me as the main event in Houston. It’s beautiful. February looks beautiful to me too.”

Although Ramadan begins in early March, Kape insists the timetable won’t prevent him from accepting a fight. “All that matters is fighting for the belt,” he said. “Send the contract.”

The Bottom Line

With Pantoja sidelined and Van wearing the crown after an unexpected turn of events, the flyweight division needs clarity. Manel Kape believes he’s the one to deliver it and he’s not shy about how violent that clarity will be. If the UFC wants a title fight with guaranteed fireworks, Kape says he’s ready. If they want a competitive five-round war, he says they should look elsewhere. Because in Kape’s view, his fight with Joshua Van won’t be close it’ll be a dismantling.