Manel Kape’s rise reiterates UFC flyweight division’s resurgence

With seven wins in his last eight fights, Manel Kape has a real shot at receiving a UFC flyweight championship opportunity in his next bout – and that’s exactly what the division needs.

For the longest time now, the flyweights have been a bit of an afterthought within the grand scheme of the men’s roster in the UFC. Alexandre Pantoja certainly helped to revive things a bit, but there were still accusations that the division wasn’t interesting or deep enough. Alas, with the introduction of new foes like Manel Kape, things may start to shift.

Is Manel Kape a bit strange? Yes. Was his callout overly dramatic? Perhaps, but he’s playing the role of a villain, and he’s getting the attention of mixed martial arts fans. He serves as the perfect opponent for Joshua Van who, given the way in which he won the belt, needs to prove that he really is the right man to carry things forward.

Van brings youth and excitement. Manel Kape brings a certain level of unpredictability that simply cannot be manufactured.

Manel Kape represents change

There’s a good chance that Kape isn’t going to be around forever, but for whatever reason, flyweights seem to be getting better with age – which is a terrifying thought when you consider that Van is just 24 years of age. Plus, out there on the horizon, there’s a non-UFC fighter who could help the growth of the division even more: Muhammad Mokaev.

The one man who has beaten Kape in this streak, it feels like the stars are already aligning perfectly for him to return and join the conversation. With Kyoji Horiguchi, Tatsuro Taira and a returning (hopefully) Alexandre Pantoja also in the mix, it’s hard not to get excited about what the next few years could look like.