WHO’S NEXT FOR JOSHUA VAN? 👀🏆 After another incredible performance against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331, Joshua Van remains on top of the flyweight division. The champion earned a unanimous decision in their rematch, securing his second successful title defense. Since being knocked out by Charles Johnson in 2024, Van has completely transformed his career. He’s now riding an 8 FIGHT WIN STREAK, going from that defeat all the way to becoming champion and defending the throne twice. Now there’s one name that makes a lot of sense: MANEL KAPE. 🔥 Kape is coming off a finish over Kyoji Horiguchi, and there’s already history between the two, with Van previously calling Kape out and both men exchanging words. JOSHUA VAN VS MANEL KAPE NEXT? 👀 #ufc #mma #fight #news #la
Joshua Van retained the UFC flyweight championship at UFC 331, earning a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja in their rematch to record his second consecutive successful title defense. The 24-year-old from Myanmar, fighting out of 4oz. Fight Club, continues to stand alone at the top of the 125-pound division.
Van's rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Sitting at 18-2-0, he carries an eight-fight winning streak that began after a knockout loss to Charles Johnson in 2024. From that setback, the orthodox striker climbed all the way to championship gold and has since defended it twice. His output inside the octagon is extraordinary — he lands 8.26 significant strikes per minute at a 57 percent accuracy rate, numbers that rank among the most devastating in the flyweight division.
Now attention is shifting to who challenges him next, and one name generating significant conversation is number-two-ranked contender Manel Kape. The 32-year-old southpaw from Angola, training out of Xtreme Couture, carries a 23-7-0 record and is coming off a finish over Kyoji Horiguchi. Kape owns a three-inch reach advantage over Van — 68 inches compared to Van's 65 — and lands 4.68 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. Adding intrigue to the potential matchup, Van has previously called Kape out by name, and the two have exchanged words publicly.
Why it matters
- Van's historic streak positions him as one of flyweight's most dominant champions in recent memory
- Kape's finish of Horiguchi and his ranking make him a logical top contender, with the division's pecking order pointing squarely toward this fight
- A pre-existing callout and public back-and-forth between the two men gives the potential matchup an extra layer of personal stakes
- The stylistic contrast — Van's elite output versus Kape's southpaw finishing ability — sets up a compelling 125-pound title fight
