Manel Kape recently shocked fans when he was set to face flyweight champion Joshua Van. However, ‘Starboy’ claimed that Joshua did not sign the fight, which caused the potential matchup to fall through. Now, Joshua Van has broken his silence and, in turn, exposed that Kape lied about the situation.

At 24 years old, Joshua Van stands at the peak of his career. Last year, he became the second youngest fighter, after heavyweight legend Jon Jones, to win a UFC championship. He now prepares to defend his belt on April 11 when he faces Tatsuro Taira inside the Octagon at UFC 327. When the promotion announced the fight, it shocked many, as Manel Kape’s resume appeared more deserving of a title shot than Taira’s.

With Kape out of the picture, he blamed Joshua Van on social media. However, according to ‘The Fearless’, that’s not how events unfolded.

“You know, I like the guy, man,” said Joshua Van on MMA Junkie Radio. “I like Manel, you know what I mean? He’s a good guy. It’s just that he lies too much, you know what I mean? So I just want to put it out there. But I don’t hate any fighters or anything like that, man. I like the guy, you know?

I respect him. He’s been in the game for a long time, so you know what I mean, I respect what he brings to the table. But in terms of getting this fight and all the stuff that he lied about, I just want to put it out there. That’s all.”

In response to this, when the MMA Junkie reporter asked Joshua Van what Manel Kape “lied” about that he did not like, the American-Myanmar clarified that the Angolan-Portuguese actually tried to make it look like Joshua Van “ducked” him in the Octagon.

“You know what I mean,” Joshua Van remarked.

The “ducking” allegations have recently sparked a hot topic in the UFC. For example, lightweight champion Ilia Topuria has also accused welterweight champion Islam Makhachev of ducking him multiple times, including for the upcoming UFC White House event.

Regarding the Joshua Van-Manel Kape feud, Van confirmed that when his manager reached out for the fight, he gave the green light to his manager and matchmaker, Mick Maynard.

However, according to the champion, Kape then tried to blame him for their title fight falling through. Van emphasized that if Manel Kape had an issue, he should have stated the reason directly instead of spreading fake rumors on “Twitter.”

Despite the feud, Joshua Van made it clear that he does not hate Manel Kape. Even though Kape is out of the picture, ‘The Fearless’ still keeps him on his radar. Van believes they will likely cross paths somewhere in the future. Until then, the Angolan-Portuguese needs another win, as he also has a fight coming up.

Manel Kape gears up for his next battle at UFC Vegas 119

Before Manel Kape can challenge Joshua Van for the title, he must first settle unfinished business. The Angola-born fighter currently stands at the peak of his career. In his last three outings against opponents such as Bruno Silva, Asu Alambayev, and Brandon Royval, Kape ended the fights via doctor stoppages, thereby strengthening his case for a title shot. Still, he must first face 35-year-old UFC veteran Kyoji Horiguchi in a rematch.

Kape and ‘Karate Kid’ previously fought in 2017 under the RIZIN promotion, where the Japanese superstar choked Kape in the third round, broke his hand, and ended his seven-fight win streak. Now, nearly a decade later, Kape is set to avenge that defeat at UFC Vegas 119. He recently confirmed the matchup while speaking with MMA Junkie.

UFC Vegas 119 takes place on June 20 at the UFC Apex, and a win could instantly put Manel Kape in line for a title shot against the flyweight champion. Despite nearing 40, Horiguchi shows no signs of slowing down and enters the fight on a seven-fight win streak, setting the stage for an exciting showdown.

How do you see Manel Kape’s title prospects in the division? Does he deserve the next shot at the belt over Tatsuro Taira? Share your thoughts below.