ESPN eyes Van-Kape as UFC's second-half prize fight

Joshua Van’s next move sits near the top of ESPN’s UFC wish list for the back half of 2026, with Brett Okamoto naming a flyweight title fight against Manel Kape as the matchup he would most like to see.

Okamoto wrote that Van has several attractive options after stopping Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round at UFC 328 in May. The two names he placed above the rest were Alexandre Pantoja and Kape.

According to ESPN, the Pantoja rematch carries the cleaner storyline. Pantoja held the flyweight belt for two and a half years before Van took it from him in December, in a fight that ESPN said was cut short when Pantoja suffered a dislocated elbow. Okamoto also noted that Van told ESPN before UFC 328 that he wanted the chance to show he could beat a healthy Pantoja.

Still, Okamoto picked Van against Kape as the bout he would choose if only one could happen this year. He described Van as a busy, polished boxer and Kape as perhaps the division’s most dangerous puncher at 125 pounds.

Volkanovski-Evloev gets the featherweight push

At featherweight, Okamoto called for Alexander Volkanovski to defend against Movsar Evloev, saying the fight should already have been made.

ESPN’s analysis criticized the UFC’s decision to give Diego Lopes another shot at Volkanovski less than a year after what Okamoto called a one-sided defeat. Okamoto still praised Lopes as one of MMA’s most entertaining fighters, but said Evloev had the stronger title-case.

Evloev is listed by ESPN at 20-0 with 10 UFC wins. Okamoto wrote that the one missing item on his résumé is a finish during his seven years with the promotion, adding that decision victories have become part of his identity.

Okamoto also wrote that Volkanovski, 37, remains willing to face the most deserving challengers and wants a victory over the unbeaten Evloev as part of his legacy. ESPN said it expects that matchup to happen in the fall.

A loaded year, with more champions still idle

The matchmaking talk comes after what Okamoto called the UFC’s best six-month stretch since 2021, and possibly longer. ESPN pointed to a White House South Lawn card topped by Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje and Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane, plus the long-awaited Sean Strickland vs. Khamzat Chimaev meeting.

ESPN also cited Carlos Ulberg winning a championship while badly hindered by a leg injury, and said even cards with underwhelming main events often carried strong anticipation going in.

There is still plenty of work for the UFC matchmakers, according to ESPN. Okamoto reported that six current champions, including all three women’s titleholders, had not yet fought in 2026, while 81% of fighters in ESPN’s rankings did not have a scheduled bout.

The list also included Mackenzie Dern vs. Zhang Weili at strawweight, though ESPN’s published section shown for that fight began with only the matchup heading and the opening words of its explanation.

This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.