Joshua Van stands as the clear frontrunner for Manel Kape’s next bout, reflecting trader consensus around an imminent flyweight title shot. Kape’s four-fight finishing streak, capped by a third-round TKO of Kyoji Horiguchi in June, has positioned the veteran contender at the front of the line. Joshua Van’s unanimous decision victory over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 on September 19 further clarified the picture, confirming Van as the division’s champion and leaving few obstacles to a high-profile matchup. Lower probabilities for Pantoja and Tatsuro Taira align with the timing of Van’s recent title defense and Kape’s expressed willingness to wait for the winner of that rematch. Upcoming scheduling decisions by the UFC will likely determine whether this clash materializes before the end of the year.