The opening betting odds have been revealed for a potential UFC flyweight title bout between Joshua Van and Manel Kape.
Next up, it seems likely that Pantoja will take on Kape, and we have the betting odds for this potential fight — and the odds are quite surprising.
Joshua Van vs. Manel Kape Betting Odds
Check out the opening odds for Van vs. Kape:
Manel Kape -200
Joshua Van +170
https://twittter.com/FightOdds_io/status/2101686793347162119
These are certainly interesting odds given that Van is the reigning, defending UFC flyweight champion and has won eight straight fights inside the Octagon. So to see him as the betting underdog right after he defeated Pantoja is a bit surprising, even though Kape is an excellent fighter who is riding a four-fight win streak, with all of those wins coming by way of knockout.
We’ll have to wait and see if and when the UFC makes this bout official, but it does seem like this would be the next flyweight title fight, considering Kape has been waiting for a title shot for a while and truly deserves the opportunity to take on Van for the belt.
When Will the Fight Happen?
As active as Van is, he has already fought twice this year, and he took quite a bit of damage against Pantoja, so it’s very unlikely that he will fight again in 2026.
It’s much more likely, then, that Van will return to the Octagon sometime in the first or second quarter of 2027 and defend his belt then. He is only 24 years old, and he still has a very fresh chin, but given the amount of attrition that he’s absorbed in his recent fights, it makes sense that he takes a bit of a break for the next little while.
If and when Van vs. Kape gets booked, it will be one of the most highly anticipated fights of 2027, so hopefully the UFC can get these two men booked soon so they can step into the cage and fight each other.
Joshua Van vs. Manel Kape UFC Opening Odds Revealed