Cormier On Kape's Knockout Power Against Van

Daniel Cormier believes Manel Kape presents a dangerous new challenge for Joshua Van's flyweight title reign, citing knockout power as the key differentiator.

Van defended his 125-pound championship against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 331 this past Saturday, winning a competitive decision to cement his status atop the division. The victory marked his second win over Pantoja and followed a successful defense against Tatsuro Taira, proving Van could handle elite-level grapplers.

Kape's Power Sets Him Apart From Van's Previous Opponents

In a post-fight reaction video, Cormier predicted Kape will emerge as the next contender and warned that the Angolan brings a unique threat. "Manel has the power to knock him out," Cormier said, per MMA Junkie. "That's the difference. Manel can knock him out if he gets the opportunity."

The former two-division champion noted that Van has already navigated the grappling threats at flyweight by defeating both Pantoja and Taira in succession. Cormier said Van passed those tests with flying colors, finishing Taira and outpointing Pantoja across five rounds.

UFC CEO Dana White praised Van after the event as the greatest thing to happen to the flyweight division in the modern era, though Kape appears positioned to challenge that momentum. Van revealed after UFC 331 that he competed with an undisclosed injury sustained prior to fight night.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Daniel Cormier thinks Manel Kape is serious threat to Joshua Van’s UFC title run: “Manel has the power to knock him out”