Top UFC Flyweight Contender Responds After Brutal Joshua Van Title Fight Update

Manel Kape says he was in negotiations with the UFC to fight Joshua Van, but the promotion had already promised the title shot to Tatsuro Taira.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The UFC flyweight division is undergoing a shift, with Joshua Van becoming the new champion in December. Top contender Manel Kape revealed he was in negotiations with the UFC to fight Van on short notice at UFC 326 in March, but the promotion had already promised the title shot to Tatsuro Taira after his win over Brandon Royval. Kape says he kept pushing for the fight, but the UFC told him there was only a strong possibility it could happen. Van, meanwhile, has criticized Kape, saying he needs to "find his balls" if he wants to fight the champion.

Why it matters

The UFC flyweight division has faced scrutiny in the past, but with a new champion in Joshua Van, there is renewed interest in the weight class. Kape is a top contender who has been pushing for a title shot, but the UFC appears to have other plans, potentially setting up an interesting dynamic between the two fighters.

The details

Kape revealed on Twitter that he was in negotiations with the UFC to fight Van on short notice at UFC 326 in March. However, the promotion had already promised the title shot to Tatsuro Taira after his win over Brandon Royval. Kape says he kept pushing for the fight, but the UFC told him there was only a strong possibility it could happen. Van, meanwhile, has criticized Kape, saying he needs to "find his balls" if he wants to fight the champion.

  • Joshua Van became the new UFC flyweight champion in December at UFC 323.
  • Tatsuro Taira defeated Brandon Royval, earning a title shot against Van.

The players

Joshua Van

The current UFC flyweight champion, who won the title in December at UFC 323.

Manel Kape

A top UFC flyweight contender who has won seven of his first 10 UFC appearances and has been pushing for a title shot against Van.

Tatsuro Taira

A UFC flyweight contender who defeated Brandon Royval, earning a title shot against champion Joshua Van.

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What they’re saying

“Fake news. I am not fighting my 'son' Joshua Van. 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 make this fight happen on March 7th. UFC told us there was a strong possibility. I was already cutting weight by Monday I was down to 144 lbs.”

— Manel Kape (Twitter)

“I hope one day, for sure, when he finds his balls and wanting to fight, maybe one day we could fight. But as of right now, I guess not.”

— Joshua Van (MMAJunkie)

“Ask him. He would know. Last time I checked, the champ said yes, and the challenger said no.”

— Joshua Van (MMAJunkie)

What’s next

No UFC title fights (outside of the "BMF") are officially scheduled at this time, leaving more questions than answers. It's only a matter of time before that changes, however, as the schedule resumes next Saturday.

The takeaway

The UFC flyweight division is undergoing a shift, with a new champion in Joshua Van. Top contender Manel Kape has been pushing for a title shot, but the promotion appears to have other plans, potentially setting up an interesting dynamic between the two fighters.