Earlier in February, rumors began swirling online that the No.2-ranked contender Manel Kape would face flyweight champion Joshua Van in the co-main event of UFC 326 in March.
As it stands, those were just rumors. According to Kape, while he was in consideration for the title shot, the UFC matchmakers ultimately decided to grant surging contender Tatsuro Taira the opportunity.
In a statement on X, Kape shot down the “fake news,” writing:
“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 [Moreno].”
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
‘Starboy’ added:
“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. In the end, the UFC decided not to move forward with the fight because of the short time. We keep moving forward. Patient as always. And believe me, patience is something I’ve mastered. Champion soon, Insha’Allah.”
Check out Manel Kape’s comments below:
Kape was last seen scoring a first-round KO win over former title challenger Brandon Royval. The 32-year-old is currently on a three-fight win streak. Taira, meanwhile, is 4-1 in his last five, most recently scoring a second-round TKO win over former champion Brandon Moreno.
Joshua Van insinuates that Manel Kape turned down the title shot
Reigning flyweight champion Joshua Van appears to believe that Manel Kape turned down a title shot against him. During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the 24-year-old subtly floated those claims.
When one of the hosts asked the UFC star about his thoughts on the other flyweight elite, including Kape, he said:
“Is [Kape] really [trying to fight me]?. Because the last time I checked, I don’t know who said no, but you know.”
When the host probed further, asking whether Kape turned down a fight against him, Van nodded with a smile of acknowledgment while saying:
“Ask him.” [8:00 mark of the interview]
Edited by Ujwal Jain
