As the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight division continues to churn with high-stakes contenders and shifting title pictures, elite 125-pound standout Manel Kape has firmly set his sights on the landscape ahead. Known just as much for his unfiltered personality as his explosive fighting style, the dynamic striker recently opened up about his division rivals, singling out surging prospect Joshua Van. Far from viewing the rising talent as a formidable roadblock, Kape has boldly dismissed Van as an easy stylistic matchup, claiming that a potential showdown between the two would showcase a glaring disparity in speed, power, and overall combat IQ.
Kape, widely regarded as one of the most dangerous and explosive athletes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s flyweight weight class, is currently positioning himself for a coveted title opportunity against the reigning 125-pound champion. Popularly known by his moniker “Starboy,” the confident contender expressed absolute certainty that he would not only defeat Van but completely dismantle him. According to Kape, his body of work and the caliber of competition he has faced throughout his career far eclipse anything the younger fighter has encountered inside the Octagon, placing him on an entirely different competitive plateau.
Manel Kape predicts Joshua Van will be too slow, citing Anderson Silva’s knockout of Forrest Griffin
The bold assertions came to light during a recent, in-depth interview with former two-division champion and MMA legend Daniel Cormier. Speaking with Cormier, Kape elaborated on the technical reasons why he believes a bout with Van would heavily favor him, pointing directly to a stark advantage in raw hand speed and reflexive processing. To illustrate just how wide he perceives the skill and speed gap to be, Kape drew a striking historical comparison to one of the most iconic masterclasses in Ultimate Fighting Championship history: Anderson Silva’s legendary first-round knockout victory over Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 back in August 2009.
In that unforgettable performance, Silva famously evaded Griffin’s forward pressure with casual, matrix-like head movement before dropping the former light heavyweight champion with a single, effortless punch that seemed to unfold in slow motion. Kape believes a collision between himself and Van would mirror that exact visual dynamic, with Van’s offensive output appearing glacial by comparison.
“I know the power that I possess, I know the skill I possess,” Kape told Cormier during the interview. “When I say this fight is going to be too easy, it’s going to be too easy. He’s going to be very slow. The way he throws punches is going to be slow to me. This fight is going to be like Anderson Silva against Forrest Griffin. I apologize: I love Forrest Griffin, but it’s going to be like this. That’s the fight I really see. That’s the level I see… I’m above him.”
The vivid comparison underscores Kape’s immense self-belief as he navigates the upper echelon of the flyweight division. Rather than acknowledging Van’s toughness or momentum inside the organization, the Portuguese-Angolan striker chose to emphasize the perceived technical ceiling separating them, suggesting that Van’s linear tendencies and defensive vulnerabilities would leave him completely exposed against a counter-striker of Kape’s caliber.
To further validate his assessment of the divisional hierarchy, Kape pivoted the conversation toward his own recent career resume, specifically highlighting his latest high-profile assignment. Kape pointed to his previous opponent, legendary Japanese martial artist and former champion Kyoji Horiguchi—whom Kape defeated via a devastating third-round technical knockout—as a baseline for true elite-level competition. In Kape’s view, Horiguchi represents a vastly superior test to anything Van has faced or could currently offer.
Going a step further in his assessment, Kape boldly predicted that if Horiguchi and Van were to ever share the Octagon, the veteran karateka would make decisive and swift work of the younger rising star.
“I just beat the most difficult fighter in our division,” Kape added, emphasizing the prestige and difficulty of navigating a matchup against a seasoned veteran of Horiguchi’s tactical acumen. “Kyoji is going to be there again. This guy is a different animal. You need to be very, very smart to fight this guy. You need to have knowledge. You need to have strategy to beat a karate guy like him. If it was Van against Kyoji, Kyoji would put him to sleep in the first round. That’s the way I see it. I know the levels of this game.”
Kape’s comments underline the fierce mental warfare and confidence required to ascend to the pinnacle of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. By publicly evaluating both the reigning champion’s resume and the rising contenders nipping at his heels, Kape is clearly attempting to steer the matchmaking narrative in his favor. Whether his next assignment brings him closer to a championship opportunity or sets up a collision course with fighters like Joshua Van, Kape’s latest remarks ensure that all eyes will remain locked on his next move as the flyweight division sorts out its next definitive title challenger.
