Manel Kape calls Joshua Van 'my kid' after UFC Vegas 119 KO
Manel Kape dismissed UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van with some pointed words after knocking out Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC Vegas 119. The Angolan now holds the record for most knockouts in flyweight history with six, and he made clear he intends to add Van to that tally.
"He's my kid and I can't wait to take his diaper," Kape told reporters at the post-fight press conference, per MMA Fighting.
Kape's case for a title shot over Pantoja rematch
The finish marked Kape's fourth consecutive knockout and avenged a 2017 loss to Horiguchi in RIZIN. Kape said the win was validation of his evolution as a fighter. "When I was younger, I was wild. I was fearless. I was very wild. This time I have to slow down, be more smart," he said, according to the report. "Time gives you wisdom."
Kape argued his résumé trumps Van's path to the belt, noting he knocked out Brandon Royval in the first round while Van earned a controversial decision over the same opponent. The rivalry between Kape and Van heated up earlier this year when the two were rumored to face each other before the bout fell through. Kape cited a foot injury as the reason Van advanced ahead of him.
Former champion Alexandre Pantoja remains the likely next challenger after his first-round injury loss to Van, but Kape said he welcomes the delay. "I need to take some time off. Take care of business, chill out with family, see my friends," he told reporters. When asked if he would knock Van out, Kape was direct: "Of course. Definitely."
Photo: Bruno Massami / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Original reporting:
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