Manel Kape Says He Is Next for Joshua Van, Targets January 2027 Title Fight
Kape confirmed on The Daniel Cormier Show that a December 2026 date was discussed but January 2027 is the likelier window; the UFC has not officially announced the bout, and Van's right-shoulder recovery is the timeline risk.
Manel Kape expects to challenge UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van next, and January 2027 is the likeliest window for the title fight. Speaking with Daniel Cormier on The Daniel Cormier Show, Kape discussed a possible December 2026 date before pointing to January, and answered "Yes" when asked whether he is the No. 1 contender getting the title shot.
The UFC has not officially announced the Van vs. Kape title fight. No date or venue has been confirmed by the promotion.
Kape's claim is built on four consecutive stoppages: Bruno Silva (third-round TKO, December 2024), Asu Almabayev (third-round TKO, March 2025), Brandon Royval (first-round KO, December 2025), and Kyoji Horiguchi (third-round TKO at 2:42, UFC Fight Night 279, June 20, 2026). It stands as the longest knockout streak in UFC flyweight division history.
Van would enter the matchup off two title defenses. His first defense came against Tatsuro Taira at UFC 328 in May 2026. The second was a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja (49-46, 48-47, 50-45) at UFC 331 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles in September 2026. Their first meeting, at UFC 323 in December 2025, ended after 26 seconds when Pantoja suffered an accidental arm/elbow dislocation; the UFC 331 rematch was billed as settling the legitimacy question.
On the Cormier episode, Kape also named longtime rival Kai Kara-France as the man he wants for his first title defense once he takes the belt. The rivalry traces to a cancelled UFC 293 booking — Kara-France withdrew with a concussion/head knock — and the two have traded public shots since.
The January timeline carries a question mark on Van's side. After UFC 331, Van revealed he planned to have his right shoulder examined before deciding on a return date, and he reportedly could not spar until the late stages of the UFC 331 camp due to an AC joint issue.
