Kavanagh backs Van to retain flyweight title at UFC 336, calls for winner next

Lone’er Kavanagh is picking Joshua Van to defend the UFC flyweight title against Manel Kape at UFC 336 on 30 January at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto — and the English contender wants the winner in his next fight.

Kavanagh made the call in the immediate aftermath of his own first-round technical knockout victory over Ramazonbek Temirov at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, telling Ariel Helwani he finds it hard to bet against the reigning champion heading into the all-striker matchup.

“As a fan, it’s gonna be an exciting one to watch,” Kavanagh said. “They’re both high-level strikers… You can’t really bet against Joshua Van anymore. He’s proved himself against Pantoja twice. So maybe [I’m leaning] towards Van… I was surprised. He had an answer for everything that Pantoja threw at him… I’m gonna say the flyweight division is the most exciting division there is right now.”

Kavanagh pointed specifically to Van’s two dominant performances against Alexandre Pantoja as the reason for his confidence in “The Fearless”, noting that the champion’s output and ability to solve problems inside the cage had left him genuinely impressed.

Beyond his prediction, Kavanagh also told Helwani he is open to stepping in as a backup fighter for the UFC 336 headliner should either Van or Kape be forced to withdraw — a move that would keep him active and in the title conversation regardless of how the main event unfolds.

With the flyweight division set to deliver another high-profile title fight in Toronto, Kavanagh’s TKO finish in Abu Dhabi and his public callout position him as one of the division’s most prominent contenders heading into 2027.