Overview
- Manel Kape stopped Brandon Royval by first-round TKO at UFC Vegas 112 and received a Performance of the Night bonus.
- The UFC’s final 2025 rankings placed Kape at No. 2 at flyweight behind Alexandre Pantoja, with Joshua Van as champion.
- Van accepted Kape’s callout on X and floated Houston as a venue, later asking matchmaker Mick Maynard to choose between Kape or Tatsuro Taira.
- Van won the belt at UFC 323 after Pantoja dislocated his elbow seconds into the fight, and medical evaluations will determine if a rematch is feasible.
- UFC officials are considering Van vs. Kape next, with Van vs. Taira also in play depending on Pantoja’s recovery timeline.