Joshua Van defeated Alexandre Pantoja in their “Fight of the Night” main event atop the UFC 331 fight card in Los Angeles, answering the questions raised in their first fight at UFC 323 back in late 2025. The 24-year-old Van (18-2) is expected to make his next 125-pound title defense against No. 1-ranked flyweight Manel Kape in early 2027.
The opening odds from BetOnline.ag have Van at -108 against -112 for Kape.
“The perfect style for me to paint a masterpiece,” the 32-year-old Kape wrote on social
media. “You’re all going to be surprised by how easy I make this fight look.”
Kape (23-7) also claims he’ll weigh as high as 160 pounds on fight night following rehydration.
“The one area that Manel possesses that most don’t is Manel has the power to knock him out,” former UFC champion turned color commentator Daniel Cormier said on YouTube. “That’s the difference. Manel can knock him out if he gets the opportunity.”
Van vs. Kape … who ya’ got?
