Joshua Van's emphatic unanimous decision title defense over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 has positioned Manel Kape as the clear next opponent, with the champion explicitly calling out the streaking contender on social media. Kape enters with four straight knockouts and five consecutive victories, establishing him as the top-ranked flyweight challenger while both fighters exchange public interest in the matchup. Trader consensus at 93.9% for Kape reflects this momentum, Van's post-fight comments, and the absence of competing official announcements. Potential shifts could arise from Van's reported AC joint injury recovery timeline, UFC scheduling decisions favoring other contenders like Asu Almabayev or Brandon Royval, or any late changes in Kape's availability or weight compliance.