MMA News

Tag: UFC Vegas 103

  • Muhammad Mokaev Sends ‘Son’ Manel Kape A Reminder After Ex-UFC Rival Nets Second Win Since Their Fight

    Muhammad Mokaev Sends ‘Son’ Manel Kape A Reminder After Ex-UFC Rival Nets Second Win Since Their Fight

    Former UFC flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev was quick to appear on social media with some stern words for this weekend’s main event winner, Manel Kape.

    Mokaev’s tenure on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage concluded with a bitter feud opposite Kape, which included altercations away from the cage and culminated in a lackluster decision win for the Dagestan-born Brit at UFC 304 last July.

    Having done little to impress with his performance and apparently not made friends with the matchmakers, Dana White and the UFC chose not to renew “The Punisher’s” contract.

    His absence from the flyweight pecking order has provide an opportunity for Kape to quickly erase the memory of his 2024 defeat, and he’s done just that with back-to-back wins.

    And in the aftermath of his most recent triumph over Asu Almabayev at UFC Vegas 103, Kape received a reminded about his setback in Manchester from his ex-rival.

    “There’s only one best flyweight in the world (wink),” Mokaev wrote on X.

    And Mokaev followed that up with a sterner post after evidently coming across a clip of Kape trash-talking him.

    “Dirty fighter Popped on steroids Eye poked and didn’t even stopped , when I eyed poked you I stoped and let you recover! I apologised for whatever happened between us and I thought it ended but you still talking sh*t about me in every interview! because live in your head , I beat you not even in my prime and pull your pants down in front the whole world! And you will be my son for rest of life!”

    For now, Mokaev is competing under the Brave CF banner as he looks to work his way back to the UFC this year.

    Kape, meanwhile, is widely thought to have placed himself in line to challenge the winner of Alexandre Pantoja’s expected title defense against Kai Kara-France at UFC 316 in Newark this June.

  • Former Title Challenger Calls Out UFC For Playing Dominick Cruz’s Retirement Package At The Apex

    Former Title Challenger Calls Out UFC For Playing Dominick Cruz’s Retirement Package At The Apex

    One prominent ex-fighter has joined plenty of fans in questioning the UFC’s decision to play a tribute package on bantamweight legend Dominick Cruz this weekend.

    Cruz, who held gold under the WEC banner before becoming a two-time titleholder on MMA’s biggest stage, competed for the last time in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in San Diego back in August 2022. Following a knockout loss to Marlon Vera that stalled his charge back up the ladder, “The Dominator” set his sights on one final bout.

    But after a familiar foe in the form of injury away from the cage prevented that being booked until 2025, disaster struck once again last month when it emerged that Cruz had been forced out of his scheduled retirement fight against Rob Font in Seattle on Feb. 22.

    Having sustained another serious physical setback, revealed to be a second dislocated shoulder in a matter of months, the 39-year-old confirmed his decision to call time on his active career.

    Cruz remains a color commentator for the promotion, and while filling that role at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 103 event at the Apex, he watched on as a highlights package from his career was played.

    The UFC’s decision to air it drew mixed responses, however, with many questioning why a legend like Cruz had his farewell moment take place inside the low-capacity Apex.

    And among the most prominent to raise their dissatisfaction was former lightweight title challenger Al Iaquinta.

    “Dominick Cruz deserves way more than the apex guy cmon,” Iaquinta wrote on X.

    Many are wondering why the organization didn’t wait another week to play the video during the high-profile UFC 313 pay-per-view broadcast inside T-Mobile Arena.

  • Henry Cejudo Brands Eye Pokes ‘Greatest Threat’ To MMA Growth After Another UFC Main Event Controversy

    Henry Cejudo Brands Eye Pokes ‘Greatest Threat’ To MMA Growth After Another UFC Main Event Controversy

    Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo watched on this weekend as another fighter became the victim of a nasty eye poke in a main event.

    Cejudo’s hopes for a first win since returning from retirement were dealt a blow last month in Seattle, where he headlined against Chinese standout Song Yadong.

    After a difficult first two rounds, “Triple C” was the victim of a deep eye poke in the third. And after the 2008 Olympic gold medalist was deemed unable to continue, an unpunished “Kung Fu Kid” took home the victory by way of technical decision.

    The ex-flyweight and bantamweight kingpin spent the subsequent days criticizing referee Jason Herzog’s handling of the situation. And one of his fellow officials has come under fire after yet another UFC Fight Night main event result was marred by a foul.

    Manel Kape was the headline winner inside the Apex this weekend, stopping Asu Almabayev in round three. The finishing sequence, however, included a clear poke or scrap of the Kazakh’s left eye, leaving him compromised as “Starboy” swarmed for the TKO.

    After witnessing another fighter fall victim to what is undoubtedly a frequent foul in the UFC, Cejudo sent a stark warning out on social media.

    “Eye pokes are the greatest threat to the growth of this sport (unbiased) #UFCVegas103“

    While Kape appeared well on his way to a definitive victory on March 1 regardless of the foul, which was not spotted by Mike Beltran, that hasn’t dimmed the concerns of many when it comes to the impact eye pokes could continue to have on prominent bouts in the sport’s leading promotion.

  • Watch Manel Kape Break Down Alexandre Pantoja’s Flaws To His Face After UFC Vegas 103

    Watch Manel Kape Break Down Alexandre Pantoja’s Flaws To His Face After UFC Vegas 103

    UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape believes he knows how to get revenge on champion Alexandre Pantoja and secure the throne at 125 pounds.

    Kape staked his claim for a first championship opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage this weekend at UFC Vegas 103, which he headlined opposite replacement opponent Asu Almabayev.

    A convincing knockout victory marked back-to-back wins for Kape and has left many calling for him to challenge Pantoja next time out.

    The pair have history inside the Octagon, with the current champ having welcomed the ex-Rizin titleholder to the UFC back in 2021. Pantoja emerged victorious via the scorecards.

    Kape has since been pursuing a rematch en route to the title, and during a face-to-face interview alongside the Brazilian on Saturday’s ESPN UFC Post Show, “Starboy” outlined his confidence in succeeding against Pantoja second time around.

    “There is many things I can exploit in Pantoja’s game,” Kape said. “I see that Pantoja walks forward too much, you know? And brother, I’m a sniper. So prepare for that. That hand is heavy. There is 14 knockouts here in MMA. It’s not every weight that has that much knockouts as me — flyweight, welterweight, bantamweight. I have 14 knockouts, so be ready.”

    For now, Pantoja will likely have his attention on another former adversary in Kai Kara-France. He’s expected to defend the flyweight title against “Don’t Blink” at UFC 316 in Newark this coming June.

  • ‘Beats Pantoja’ – Fans And Fighters Back Manel Kape For Title Shot After UFC Vegas 103 Knockout

    ‘Beats Pantoja’ – Fans And Fighters Back Manel Kape For Title Shot After UFC Vegas 103 Knockout

    Manel Kape made a statement that he should be next in line for the UFC flyweight championship, taking out Asu Almabayev in the main event of UFC Vegas 103.

    “Starboy” got off to a strong start, grabbing momentum right away with the striking display he put on in round one. He added in a couple of stops when Almabayev went for takedown attempts during the frame. Kape continued to utilize his striking in the second, but the Kazakh fighter seemed to dictate the pace by circling the cage while looking to land his own strikes.

    Kape landed a flurry in round three that appeared to hurt Almabayev. This sent Almabayev stumbling and into retreat, as he ran nearly a whole lap around the Octagon backwards. He looked for a takedown on Kape when the Angolan caught up to him, but referee Mike Beltran elected to stop the fight via TKO due to Almabayev’s retreating and back-turn.

    After that performance, plenty are calling for the #6-ranked contender to challenge the winner of the expected Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France clash for the flyweight gold.

    Is Manel Kape Next For UFC Flyweight Title Shot After UFC Vegas 103 Win?

    Kape has now won six of his last seven fights, with his sole loss in that span coming against Muhammad Mokaev.

    Meanwhile, this loss snaps a 17-fight win streak Almabayev was on entering tonight, going back to 2017. The Kazakh prospect scored victories in the Octagon against Ode’ Osbourne, CJ Vergara, Jose Johnson and Matheus Nicolau prior to tonight.

  • Cody Brundage Capitalizes On Controversial Referee Pause To Score Comeback Knockout At UFC Vegas 103

    Cody Brundage Capitalizes On Controversial Referee Pause To Score Comeback Knockout At UFC Vegas 103

    Cody Brundage emerged victorious from the UFC Vegas 103 co-main event, but the finishing sequence wasn’t without some controversy.

    Brundage started strong by landing an overhand right that stunned Marquez. He continued the attack, but Marquez managed to battle back and create a back-and-forth battle. After submission attempts from both men, “The Cuban Missile Crisis” took control with a hook and ground strikes.

    Back on the feet in the round’s closing minute, the two traded strikes in a wild exchange, with Brundage ultimately wobbling Marquez once more, dropping him and finishing things off with ground-and-pound.

    Unfortunately, the UFC Vegas 103 co-main event will go under controversy, as referee Marc Smith elected to pause the fight during the back-and-forth brawling to hand back both men’s mouthpieces, which had fallen. It was arguable that the pause allowed Brundage to gain momentum one last time for the win.

    Referee Pause At Center Of Controversial UFC Vegas 103 Co-Main Event Conclusion

    https://twitter.com/xsmegmma/status/1896015763426984102

    With this win, Brundage bounces back after a loss to Bo Nickal at UFC 300 and a no contest with Abdul Razak Alhassan.

    Marquez, meanwhile, has now lost four straight, falling to 9-6. He hasn’t scored a victory since defeating Sam Alvey in April 2021.

  • UFC Vegas 103 Main Card Opens With Unbeaten Favorite Losing In Shocking +1000 Result

    UFC Vegas 103 Main Card Opens With Unbeaten Favorite Losing In Shocking +1000 Result

    Sam Patterson got the main card of UFC Vegas 103 underway with a stunner of a result, finishing the previously unbeaten Danny Barlow in the opening round of their bout.

    About three minutes into the fight, Patterson caught Barlow coming in with a flurry, stunning “LeftHand2God” with a right hand.

    The Brit caused Barlow to stumble again seconds later before putting him out against the cage with one more right hand to the face.

    Sam Patterson Pulls Off Unexpected First-Round KO Victory To Kick Off UFC Vegas 103 Main Card

    According to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, a Patterson victory via KO/TKO came in at +1000 odds right before fight time.

    Patterson has now won three straight and nine of his last 10, having scored first-round finishes against Kiefer Crosbie and Yohan Lainesse last year.

    Barlow, meanwhile, now falls to 9-1. He scored victories in the Octagon over Josh Quinlan and Nikolay Veretennikov prior to tonight’s loss.

  • 26-Year-Old Heavyweight Prospect Stays Undefeated With Brutal One-Punch KO In UFC Vegas 103 Debut

    26-Year-Old Heavyweight Prospect Stays Undefeated With Brutal One-Punch KO In UFC Vegas 103 Debut

    In his UFC debut, Mario Pinto scored a victory in a big way, brutally knocking out Austen Lane in the featured prelim bout at UFC Vegas 103.

    Lane had control in the first round of the fight, which included him scoring a knockdown on Pinto. The American looked to get the job done with ground-and-pound but his Portuguese counterpart fought his way back into the fight.

    While Lane had more punches thrown in the second round, too, Pinto finally got things going. That resulted in a powerful one-two that knocked Lane out cold.

    Mario Pinto KOs Austen Lane In UFC Debut At UFC Vegas 103

    This was Pinto’s first fight in the UFC after finishing Lucas Camacho in 103 seconds in his Dana White’s Contender Series appearance in October. The 26-year-old is now 10-0 as a pro.

    Lane, meanwhile, has won just one fight in his last five.

  • UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Weigh-In Results: Two Bouts Canceled

    UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Weigh-In Results: Two Bouts Canceled

    UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.

    After staging its latest event in Seattle, Washington last weekend, the mixed martial arts leader is back at its home base of the Apex to open its March schedule.

    Headlining will be former Rizin champion and current #6-ranked UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape. After having his hopes to defeat a top-five name dashed after Brandon Royval’s withdrawal, “Starboy” will now need to defend his place against replacement opponent Asu Almabayev.

    Elsewhere, Cody Brundage, Nasrat Haqparast, Hyder Amil, Danny Barlow, Ricardo Ramos and Charles Johnson will be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Almabayev takes place on Saturday, March 1, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

    See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the results below.

    Main Card:

    • Flyweight: Manel Kape (126lbs) vs. Asu Almabayev (126lbs)
    • Middleweight: Cody Brundage (186lbs) vs. Julian Marquez (186lbs)
    • Lightweight: Nasrat Haqparast (156lbs) vs. Esteban Ribovics (156lbs)
    • Featherweight: Hyder Amil (146lbs) vs. William Gomis (146lbs)
    • Welterweight: Danny Barlow (170.5lbs) vs. Sam Patterson (170.5lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Heavyweight: Austen Lane (249.5lbs) vs. Mário Pinto (246.5lbs)
    • Featherweight: Ricardo Ramos (146lbs) vs. Chepe Mariscal (146lbs)
    • Catchweight (140lbs): Douglas Silva de Andrade (140lbs) vs. John Castañeda (140lbs)**
    • Women’s Flyweight: Andrea Lee (126lbs) vs. JJ Aldrich (126lbs)
    • Featherweight: Danny Silva (145.5lbs) vs. Lucas Almeida (148lbs)***
    • Women’s Flyweight: Montana De La Rosa vs. Luana Carolina*
    • Flyweight: Charles Johnson (125lbs) vs. Ramazan Temirov (125.5lbs)

    *The flyweight bout between Montana De La Rosa and Luana Carolina was canceled due to weight management issues for the latter

    **The catchweight bout between Douglas Silva de Andrade and John Castañeda was canceled due to medical issues for the former

    ***Lucas Almeida missed the featherweight limit by two pounds, forfeits 20 percent of his purse

  • UFC Vegas 103 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Card

    UFC Vegas 103 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Card

    UFC Vegas 103 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming event takes place Saturday, March 1, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be a pair of top 10 flyweights. Following the withdrawal of Brandon Royval this month, #6 contender Manel Kape will face the challenge of Kazakhstan’s Asu Almabayev.

    And also making the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Cody Brundage, Nasrat Haqparast, Hyder Amil, Danny Barlow, Ricardo Ramos and Charles Johnson.

    UFC Vegas 103: Kape vs. Almabayev Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 103 (as of 2/24), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Manel Kape (-245) vs. Asu Almabayev (+200)
    • Cody Brundage (+136) vs. Julian Marquez (-162)
    • Nasrat Haqparast (+210) vs. Esteban Ribovics (-258)
    • Austen Lane (+295) vs. Mário Pinto (-375)
    • Hyder Amil (+185) vs. William Gomis (-225)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Danny Barlow (-310) vs. Sam Patterson (+250)
    • Ricardo Ramos (+330) vs. Chepe Mariscal (-425)
    • Douglas Silva de Andrade (+195) vs. John Castañeda (-238)
    • Andrea Lee (+164) vs. JJ Aldrich (-198)
    • Danny Silva (-185) vs. Lucas Almeida (+154)
    • Montana De La Rosa (+110) vs. Luana Carolina (-130)
    • Charles Johnson (+114) vs. Ramazan Temirov (-135)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHIyb06r_No
  • Brandon Royval Describes ‘Severe’ Health Issue That Led To UFC Fight Night Main Event Withdrawal

    Brandon Royval Describes ‘Severe’ Health Issue That Led To UFC Fight Night Main Event Withdrawal

    Brandon Royval has gone into detail on why he withdrew from his scheduled UFC Fight Night main event against Manel Kape early next month.

    The former title challenger is riding a two-fight win streak following his loss to flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja. With Royval out, Kape will now face Asu Almabayev on March 1 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

    Royval revealed that consecutive concussions forced him to prioritize his health and pull out of the fight, a decision he discussed on his YouTube channel.

    “Maybe a couple months back, I had a concussion,” Royval said. “I was just playing it safe, playing it smart. A couple weeks later, when I was recovered, I accepted this fight, which was awesome. Fight Manel Kape. I respect his skills, I respect him as a striker and all that.

    “I was training hard for this fight, and being a little reckless and being kind of in the zone for camp, I got another concussion. This one was severely worse,” Royval continued. “It’s been over a week at this point, and I’m still dealing with the repercussions of it and the symptoms of a bad concussion. And because of that reason — adding a weight cut, Manel Kape being a good striker, and this being a predominantly striking match — we felt this would be the safest move. Take some time, recover, recover the right way this time, and fight at a later date. Fight when I can fully train, fully take a punch, and give you guys the best of my ability.”

  • Manel Kape Pitches Replacement After Losing UFC Fight Night Main Event Opponent

    Manel Kape Pitches Replacement After Losing UFC Fight Night Main Event Opponent

    UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape is wasting little time searching for a new foe after losing his planned opponent early next month.

    Following a return to winning ways via a knockout of Bruno Silva in Tampa last December, Kape was booked for a potential title eliminator against Brandon Royval in the UFC Vegas 103 main event on March 1.

    On Wednesday, however, “Raw Dawg” announced his withdrawal due to injury on Instagram.

    After unsurprisingly firing shots at his stricken rival on social media, “Starboy” quickly turned his attention to securing a different opponent for that date.

    And he has one high-profile name in mind…

    “Moreno step in!!!”

    Unfortunately for the Angola-born Portuguese flyweight, recent reports have Brandon Moreno slated to headline the UFC Fight Night in Mexico City later in the month against Steve Erceg.

    But should that be the case, the former Rizin champion still won’t be without options. He’s already agreed to one alternative, giving the green light to a clash with the in-form Charles Johnson.

    Having won four straight in the division, many were surprised to see the #12-ranked Johnson booked against a name outside the top 15 in Ramazon Temirov next time out.

    With that bout set for the same March 1 event that Kape was scheduled to headline, perhaps “InnerG” will get his wish for a more prominent booking and be elevated to headline status versus “Starboy.”

  • UFC Loses Another Main Event In 2025 After Injury Forces Top Contender Out: ‘I Apologize From The Bottom Of My Heart’

    Another UFC headliner has fallen through just weeks on from the promotion’s late scramble to find a new main event for its first pay-per-view this year.

    The opening numbered event of 2025, UFC 311, received a major change late in the day when Arman Tsarukyan withdrew from his title challenge against lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev on just 24 hours’ notice.

    Renato Moicano subsequently stepped in, but that didn’t stop the disappointment of those excited to witness the Dagestani and Armenian rivals run it back.

    No event is ever safe from cancellations, but the organization might be cursing its luck after losing another headliner in the first quarter of this year.

    Former flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval took to Instagram Wednesday to reveal he’s been forced to pull out of his UFC Fight Night main event against Manel Kape at the Apex on March 1 due to injury.

    “Unfortunately I’m going to have to pull out of my fight, I’m sorry to Manel Kape and my fans,” Royval wrote. “I’m facing an injury that has me questioning when I’ll be able to train again. This is absolutely a fight I think needs to happen for the flyweight division but as of right now competing month has been ill advised. Love y’all and I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I’ll have more details on my YouTube this week.”

    It remains to be seen whether the promotion will seek a replacement opponent for Kape or reschedule that bout for a later date.

    In terms of a new headline matchup, the event’s current lineup is devoid of options. With a middleweight clash between Cody Brundage and Julian Marquez set for the co-main event, the promotion will likely need to put together a new high-profile bout to close the show in Las Vegas on March 1.

  • Ex-Title Challenger Steve Erceg Booked For UFC Return, Faces Prospect On 17-Fight Winning Streak

    Ex-Title Challenger Steve Erceg Booked For UFC Return, Faces Prospect On 17-Fight Winning Streak

    Former UFC flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg will seemingly need to stall the surge of a highly touted up-and-comer if he’s to return to winning ways this year.

    While Erceg’s (12-3) year started out well with a brutal knockout win over Matt Schnell to remain undefeated in the UFC and further climb the ladder, he finished 2024 on a losing skid.

    After a narrow defeat to Alexandre Pantoja in his surprise May title shot at UFC 301, “AstroBoy” failed to rebound three months later on home soil, with Kai Kara-France instead finding a quick finish to put his name back into the championship conversation.

    With back-to-back losses on his record, Erceg will be fighting slightly further down pecking order next time out. And the man looking to extend his woes in the cage at the UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on March 1 will reportedly be Asu Almabayev (21-2).

    The news was first reported by @darteam.kazakhstan on Instagram before being corroborated by known Australian MMA insider Benny P.

    Almabayev has established himself as one to watch at 125 pounds since joining the UFC from Brave CF in 2023. The Kazakh fighter has reeled off four wins in the Octagon, most recently outpointing Matheus Nicolau to ascend to #8 in the rankings and extend his winning streak to 17.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night on March 1 are as follows:

    • Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape (flyweight main event)
    • Steve Erceg vs. Asu Almabayev (flyweight)
    • William Gomis vs. Lucas Almeida (featherweight)
    • Nasrat Haqparast vs. Esteban Ribovics (lightweight)
    • Danny Barlow vs. Sam Patterson (welterweight)
    • Cody Brundage vs. Julian Marquez (middleweight)
    • Montana De La Rosa vs. Luana Carolina (women’s flyweight)
    • Lucas Almeida vs. Danny Silva (featherweight)
  • Brandon Royval Calls For Venue Change After Crucial Manel Kape Fight Announced For UFC Apex

    Brandon Royval Calls For Venue Change After Crucial Manel Kape Fight Announced For UFC Apex

    UFC flyweight contender Brandon Royval believes the magnitude of his next fight lends itself to a better environment than the Apex.

    2024 was a successful year for the #1-ranked Royval, who entered it off the back of a disappointing performance in his title challenge against Alexandre Pantoja last December.

    First, a short-notice opportunity to run it back with Brandon Moreno in Mexico arose, and “Raw Dawg” made the most of it by outpointing the former champion. And eight months later, Royval returned to a win streak by turning away the charge of Japan’s Tatsuro Taira.

    With that, the 32-year-old is firmly back within the championship conversation at 125 pounds. And to earn another chance at the gold, Royval must now get past Manel Kape.

    The pair were recently announced as the headliners for the March 1 UFC Fight Night at the Apex in Las Vegas. Like his win over Taira, the clash is currently slated to take place with a limited crowd at the low-capacity Apex facility in Las Vegas.

    But given the likely title stakes — not to mention both men’s ability to put on a show inside the Octagon — Royval thinks that should change…

    “Kape and I is a dope ass fight,” he wrote on X. “We should make this happen in front of an audience.”

    For “Starboy,” the bout offers the chance for him to secure a first title shot on MMA’s biggest stage. The former Rizin champ originally called his shot for a rematch versus Pantoja next year after a dominant victory over Bruno Silva in Tampa earlier this month.

    But after Dana White was quick to dismiss that as a possibility, Kape now has his next assignment in the calendar, as he looks to wrest Royval’s top contender status away in 2025 en route to the flyweight throne.

  • Manel Kape Misses Out On Title Shot, Faces Top Contender In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Manel Kape Misses Out On Title Shot, Faces Top Contender In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Manel Kape’s recent performance will not earn him a UFC flyweight title shot — at least not yet. He may, however, be one fight away from getting such.

    Per Ag. Fight, Kape’s next fight has already been booked, as he will take on former title challenger Brandon Royval in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card at the APEX on March 1, 2025.

    Kape competed on last week’s UFC Tampa card, taking out Bruno Silva in a highlight TKO. The result marked “Starboy’s” fifth win in his last six fights and helped him bounce back from a loss in his dlackluster outing with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 earlier this year.

    Manel Kape vs. Brandon Royval Targeted For March 1 UFC Fight Night

    Royval is on a similar path, having defeated former champion Brandon Moreno and the highly touted Tatsuro Taira in his two 2024 fights. His sole loss in recent times was an unsuccessful challenge of current flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296. “Raw Dawg” also lost to Pantoja in their initial 2021 meeting.

    Pantoja, meanwhile , successfully defended the title against former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura in the Japanese star’s UFC debut earlier this month at UFC 310.