UFC Flyweight Champion Joshua Van and Manel Kape got into it after UFC 324 while the promotion waits for Alexandre Pantoja to return from injury.
Fresh off its first event and title fight of the year, it looks like the UFC might have another championship bout brewing in the flyweight division. The world’s leading MMA promotion returned from a six-week hiatus last Saturday with UFC 324, which took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV and was supposed to feature two title bouts beforeThe UFC currently only has two other title fights on its 2026 calendar so far , but the promotion might want to look into booking UFC Flyweight Champion Joshua Van vs.
Manel Kape after the pair spent the last few days trading words on social media.by finishing Brandon Royval in December, was quick to go after the UFC’s flyweight champion and try to lock up what would be his first shot at UFC gold. Don’t forget this: you’re only in this position because I broke my foot and you replaced me against Brandon Royval.So stop this rematch bullshit. He knocked u out cold there is no rematch."Don’t forget this: you’re only in this position because I broke my foot and you replaced me against Brandon Royval. Everyone saw what happened once I came back from injury. So stop this rematch bulls***. He knocked u out cold there is no rematch. You’re fighting me. Give me four weeks. That’s all I need to put u back in diapers."The initial exchange caused things to quickly heat up, with Van settling for shorter, more dismissive remarks while Kape came at the champion with lengthier and more detailed responses, going so far as to say they should fight at UFC 326 on March 7.First of all, there was never a contract. Second, the UFC “considered” me fighting Joshua last Saturday to replace the Kayla vs Amanda fight but they told me only one week before.Kape: "Let me explain what this idiot is talking about. First of all, there was never a contract. Second, the UFC “considered” me fighting Joshua last Saturday to replace the Kayla vs Amanda fight but they told me only one week before. And obviously, there’s no way I’d make weight in one week lol. And if I missed weight, I’d be more frozen than Arman Tsarukyan…Let’s do things the right way."I know you’re an individual with significant intellectual limitations, so I’ll give you a discount. If you want me to sign a contract, let’s sign it for March 7th. Kape: "What kind of contract are u talking about, u moron? I know you’re an individual with significant intellectual limitations, so I’ll give you a discount. If you want me to sign a contract, let’s sign it for March 7th."As much fun as a grudge match between Kape and Van would be, UFC CEO Dana White indicted in the immediate aftermath of UFC 323 that the promotion would ideally like to give Alexandre Pantoja a chance to reclaim his belt after the shocking fashion in which he lost it.Pantoja, who defeated Kape via unanimous decision in 2021, won the UFC flyweight title from Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 and went on to defend it four times before being matched with Van last December. The highly-anticipated title bout ended after just 26 seconds when the championlooks to be recovering from his injury far faster than most fans expected , but it remains to be seen if the UFC may consider booking Van vs. Kape first if Pantoja’s return doesn’t quite line up with the promotion’s relentless event schedule.Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.A Polarizing Vote Has Boxing on Its Way to a UFC-Style Makeover
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