UFC has confirmed two championship fights for UFC 336, scheduled for Saturday, January 30, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario. The announcement was made during the broadcast of UFC 333 from Abu Dhabi, giving fans their first concrete look at the promotion’s next major pay-per-view event.
The first confirmed bout will see UFC Flyweight Champion Joshua Van defend his title against Manel Kape. The matchup pits the current champion against a well-established contender in the 125-pound division, with Van looking to extend his reign against one of the division’s most dangerous strikers.
The second title fight will determine an interim UFC Welterweight Champion, though the specific combatants for that bout were not named in the announcement made during UFC 333. The creation of an interim title typically signals that the promotion’s full champion is unavailable for the scheduled date, whether due to injury, scheduling conflicts, or other commitments, though no such reason was specified in the reports confirming the fight’s addition to the card.
UFC 336 marks a return to Toronto for the promotion, a market that has historically drawn strong crowds for major UFC events at the Scotiabank Arena. Having two title fights on a single card elevates the show’s stature considerably, positioning it as one of the promotion’s marquee offerings for the opening months of the year.
For Van, a successful defense against Kape would further cement his standing atop the flyweight division, while a loss would almost certainly reshape the championship picture at 125 pounds. The interim welterweight title fight carries its own significant implications, as whoever emerges victorious will be positioned for a future unification bout with the promotion’s reigning full welterweight champion once that champion is able to compete again.
Both championship announcements came as part of the same broadcast segment during UFC 333, with outlets covering mixed martial arts confirming the details shortly after they aired. No further undercard matchups for UFC 336 were revealed at the time of the announcement. Additional fights and details for the Toronto card are expected to be announced by UFC in the lead-up to the January 30 event.
