UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape has officially confirmed that he will not face champion Joshua Van for the title at UFC 326, dashing hopes for what could have been a highly anticipated showdown in the stacked 125-pound division.
Kape, one of the top names vying for a championship opportunity against flyweight king Joshua Van, has long positioned himself as the next in line. He has repeatedly asserted that he deserves the shot ahead of all others, recently going as far as to propose a clash with Van specifically at UFC 326.
True to form, Kape has not shied away from verbal sparring with his potential opponent on social media. Over the years, the Angolan-Portuguese fighter has relentlessly campaigned for his chance at gold, navigating a flyweight division described as one of the most competitive in UFC history.
In a recent tweet, Kape put an end to the speculation surrounding the matchup. "Fake news. I am not fighting my 'son' Joshua Van," he wrote, addressing rumors directly while taking a jab at the champion.
Kape elaborated that he and his team had been aggressively pushing for the fight since his last bout. However, he revealed that the UFC had already committed the title shot to Tatsuro Taira following Taira's victory over Brandon Royval.
Undeterred by the prior promise, Kape's camp continued their efforts to secure the opportunity. The full tweet stated: "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…"
This development leaves Kape's path to the flyweight throne uncertain, as the division remains fiercely contested with multiple contenders waiting in the wings.
