Manel Kape currently competes in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
48 Facts About Manel Kape
1.
2.
Manel Kape is the former Rizin Bantamweight Champion and the former Knock Out Championship Bantamweight champion.
3.
Manel Kape made his professional debut at 17, fighting with Cage Fighters, at Cage Fighters 2, when he faced Artur Gomes.
4.
Manel Kape won the bout in the first round by way of TKO.
5.
Manel Kape made quick work of his opponent, ending the fight by TKO, after just 45 seconds.
6.
Manel Kape's last fight with Cage Fighters was at Cage Fighters 3, when he fought Marco Santos.
7.
Manel Kape would suffer his first professional loss, losing through a rear naked choke.
8.
Manel Kape next fought at Ansgar Fighting League 2, against Daniel Barez.
9.
Manel Kape beat Barez through a verbal tapout, forced by a tight armbar cinched by Kape.
10.
Manel Kape won the fight with a rear naked choke in the first round.
11.
Manel Kape won the fight in the fourth round through an armbar, which earned him the KOC Bantamweight title.
12.
Manel Kape continued his winning streak by beating Francisco Javier Asprilla by way of a third-round TKO.
13.
Manel Kape was scheduled to fight Damien 'The Rage' Rooney at BAMMA 22 in the 3Arena in Dublin.
14.
Manel Kape was then set to fight against the Brazilian Joao Elias, but the fight would likewise be cancelled.
15.
Manel Kape was scheduled to fight at Knock Out Championship 9 against Moktar Benkaci for the KOC bantamweight championship.
16.
Manel Kape made his debut at Rizin 6 when he faced Erson Yamamoto.
17.
Manel Kape would go on to win the fight after just 71 seconds with a left leg head kick KO, although the stoppage was considered early by many observers.
18.
At Rizin 13, Manel Kape was scheduled to face Yusaku Nakamura.
19.
Manel Kape beat Nakamura with a rear naked choke at the end of the third round.
20.
Manel Kape was to fight the ZST flyweight champion Seiichiro Ito at Rizin 15.
21.
Manel Kape defeated Ito with a strong left hook to the body, which gave him a KO win in the second round.
22.
At Rizin 18, Manel Kape was scheduled to fight the 14 fight UFC veteran and former World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight title challenger Takeya Mizugaki.
23.
Manel Kape would earn a dominant second-round KO win, stunning Mizugaki with a powerful uppercut, before landing a right hook to the jaw of Mizugaki.
24.
Manel Kape was scheduled to fight Kai Asakura in a rematch, this time with the vacant bantamweight title on the line.
25.
Manel Kape would find success in the second round, earning a TKO victory following a barrage of punches.
26.
On March 30,2020, Manel Kape announced that he had signed a four-fight deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, becoming first Portuguese-Angolan fighter to be signed with the UFC.
27.
Manel Kape was expected to make his promotional debut against Rogerio Bontorin on August 15,2020, at UFC 252.
28.
Manel Kape was scheduled to fight Alexandre Pantoja December 19,2020, at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs Neal.
29.
Manel Kape served as a potential replacement for the UFC Flyweight Championship bout between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno a week earlier at UFC 256.
30.
Manel Kape faced Matheus Nicolau, as a replacement for Tagir Ulanbekov, on March 13,2021, at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Muhammad.
31.
Manel Kape faced Ode' Osbourne on August 7,2021, at UFC 265.
32.
At the weigh-ins, Manel Kape weighed in at 129 pounds, three pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit.
33.
Manel Kape won the fight via knockout in round one after connecting with a flying knee and following it up with punches.
34.
Manel Kape faced Zhalgas Zhumagulov on December 4,2021, at UFC on ESPN 31.
35.
Manel Kape won the fight via technical knockout in round one.
36.
Manel Kape was scheduled to face Su Mudaerji on April 23,2022, at UFC Fight Night 205.
37.
However, just three days before the event, Manel Kape withdrew for personal reasons and the bout was scrapped.
38.
Manel Kape was scheduled to face Rogerio Bontorin on June 11,2022, at UFC 275.
39.
Manel Kape faced David Dvorak on December 17,2022, at UFC Fight Night 216.
40.
Manel Kape was scheduled to face Alex Perez on March 25,2023, at UFC on ESPN 43.
41.
Manel Kape was scheduled to face Deiveson Figueiredo on July 8,2023, at UFC 290.
42.
Manel Kape was scheduled to face Kai Kara-France on September 10,2023, at UFC 293.
43.
Manel Kape was scheduled for a rematch against Matheus Nicolau on January 13,2024, at UFC Fight Night 234.
44.
At the weigh-ins, Manel Kape weighed in at 129.5 pounds, three and a half pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit, and the bout was cancelled.
45.
Manel Kape faced Muhammad Mokaev on July 27,2024, at UFC 304.
46.
Manel Kape faced Bruno Gustavo da Silva on December 14,2024.
47.
Manel Kape was scheduled to face former UFC Flyweight Championship title challenger Brandon Royval on March 1,2025 at UFC Fight Night 253.
48.
Manel Kape won the bout by technical knockout in the third round.