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Earlier today, UFC Vegas 52 lost one of its most intriguing and important fights when Flyweight contender Manel Kape was forced to withdraw from his planned bout vs. striking specialist Su Mudaerji. The two knockout artists were looking to really break into the title picture, but Kape was removed for “personal reasons.”

Later, Kape revealed more details in a lengthy post on Twitter. That tweet has since been deleted, but that’s now how the Internet works. Reddit user /u/justformma screenshotted the entire post, in which Kape reveals that an elevated level of M3, a long term metabolite of Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (DHCMT), which is a type of anabolic steroid. Kape denies knowingly taking any performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).

Of equal importance, Kape makes it clear that he has not been suspended by USADA, NSAC, or UFC. However, NSAC will not license him with his current M3 levels, which is why he’s been forced to withdraw from Saturday night’s contest. Instead, he’ll undergo six months of testing to further analyze the M3 levels in his system.

His complete post is transcribed below:

I want everyone to hear directly from me why I won’t be fighting this Saturday. I was shocked yesterday afternoon to receive a call from the UFC, telling me that the sample I provided to USADA on April 9th returned with a positive finding of 17 picograms per ml of the long term metabolite of DHCMT, called M3. I will start by stating unequivocally that I did not intentionally use DHCMT nor any other prohibited substance for that matter. I have zero idea how this got in my system. I have never had an issue with a previous test under this program and it is ridiculous to think I would intentionally use a prohibited substance (DHCMT) where it’s long term metabolite would remain in my system for months and sometimes years, as I am aware it often does.

Overnight, I have already learned much about this metabolite called M3. I know that several years ago the UFC changed their anti-doping program rules and instituted a 100 picogram per ml “threshold” for the M3 metabolite that must be exceeded in order to be a violation of the program. This is very important for me to note, I have not been charged with any violation or been sanctioned or suspended by anyone concerning this finding. However, I have also learned that the Nevada Athletic Commission has been handling these cases over the last couple of years by requiring any fighters with any levels of the M3 metabolite, to enter into a 6 month extensive testing program to study the presence and levels of M3 in their system. While I am disappointed that I will not be able to fight in Nevada this weekend and likely for the next six months, I will of course adhere to this study by the Nevada Athletic Commission because I have nothing to hide.

I have also learned overnight that I am not alone in this situation. I know that numerous UFC fighters have been in a similar situation as me, having a low levels of M3 in their system without any idea of how in got in their system. I also know that this issue is not unique to the UFC. I have also learned that numerous other professional athletes, including many Major League Baseball players, have been faced with this issue. While I will do everything in my power to come up with an answer. I know that often answers are never found as it relates to these low level cases of the M3 metabolite. I am grateful that the UFC program acknowledged this issue with the M3 metabolite and adjusted their program accordingly. I will cooperate with the Nevada Athletic Commission and do whatever they need me to do to acquire a license to fight. I look forward to my fans watching me again in the Octagon soon.

Picograms and deleted tweets … it’s hard not to think of Jon Jones! Back in 2019, Jones kept turning up positive for picograms of Turinabol, the same PED that saw him suspended in 2017. However, he wasn’t testing high enough to warrant a USADA suspension, so UFC moved an entire event from Nevada to California in order to keep Jones on the card. There was a lot of confusion and talk of salt grains in swimming pools … it was a strange time.

Unfortunately for Kape, he’s no “Bones,” so UFC Vegas 52 will go on in Las Vegas without the Flyweight contender.

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For the revised UFC Vegas 52 fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.

See, sometimes you don’t think the other guy can hit as hard as he actually can. And that hurts.

We’ve got so many fights this weekend across the combat sports spectrum, but that doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about you. We’ve got a fun selection this week involving all the fun on the combat sports spectrum and somewhat beyond. Let’s enjoy this while we can before things get even weirder than usual.

We begin yet again with Jerry from Fight Commentary Breakdowns. See, most sites or channels/outlets usually have a mailbag to address viewer questions or concerns. Jerry’s got something even better this time around. A collection of international viewers have submitted footage of them utilizing their technique in realistic sparring and competitive settings.

It’s wholesome and fun. Nice to see a community forming and testing themselves like this.

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We’ve got more Dambe this week with African Warriors Fighting Championship. The title does kind of give away what happens, but you’re gonna want to see precisely how it goes down. Just marvelous action.

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Here’s a handful of Lethwei knockouts, and none of this looks fun.

And here’s another vintage match with this nutty back and forth duel:

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Next, it’s off to Japan to check out Shodai’s losing skid and spectacular blazing comeback through the field in Sumo competition. As noted in the video (courtesy of Chris Sumo), he had battled COVID and was set back in his training as a result. After some losses, he managed to look in spectacular form to demolish the rest of the challengers.

Sumo has been having a moment in the last few years with the ease availability for new fans to get into. That’s been a major positive for more people to appreciate the art and enjoy the technique and power these competitors display. Check out the action right here:

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Now we go to Turkey where the Antalya Grand Slam took place. This series of beautiful highlights of The Gentle Way (courtesy of the International Judo Federation) are simply marvelous:

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It’s been a long time since we visited South Africa, where ESS has the slapboxing game on lock. This duel was very, very slow to get going but got really intense near the end. Lots of lulls between slaps, but the lively crowd and the DJ egging them on makes for a hell of a picture. Some real jaw-droppers here:

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And since it is 4/20 week, we’ll leave you with this classic commercial that I’m sure is totally accurate and had a ton of staying power.

Don’t get too caught up in the Devil’s Lettuce… but if you do, bring snacks. And remember: you might think you can fight, but there are many guys like you all over the world.

Daniel Cormier doesn’t like the idea of Nick Diaz returning to the UFC.

Former UFC two-division champion turned MMA analyst Daniel Cormier thinks Nick Diaz would be making a mistake in returning to the Octagon after his stoppage defeat to Robbie Lawler last year.

Some believe Diaz ‘looked damn good’ considering his six-year layoff, but ‘DC’ thinks the Californian’s body language told a different story.

Diaz verbally quit after being dropped by Lawler in the third round which indicates to Cormier that the former Strikeforce welterweight champion and UFC fan favorite simply didn’t want to be in there.

“My last visual of Nick Diaz, I don’t think we’re really going to see him again in the octagon,” Cormier said on a recent episode of the DC & RC podcast (h/t BJPenn.com). “In the pictures, he looked shredded. Inside the octagon, he looked like a different man. He didn’t look like he wanted to be in there.”

Cormier’s comments come after Diaz’s coach Cesar Gracie teased that the Stockton local could return to the cage ‘by the end of the year’.

Diaz’s last win came over ten years ago at UFC 137 where he battered B.J. Penn in a Fight of the Night to earn a lopsided decision victory.

Jake Paul’s rise up the combat sports ranks has to continue at some point. It’s been nearly six months since Paul knocked out Tyron Woodley in their rematch, and the social media star is getting antsy for further competition. Most recently, he’s targeted a boxing showdown vs. retired UFC Middleweight champion Michael Bisping, promising to “whoop your old ass.”

Bisping and Paul have traded words back-and-forth on several occasions, but this is the first time “Problem Child” has really gotten serious about boxing “The Count.” As such, opening odds for the potential match up have dropped, and oddsmakers see Paul as a significant favorite.

Per Bodog, Paul has opened at -220, a more than 2-1 favorite. Meanwhile, the action comes back on Bisping at +155.

Naturally, these odds are up for debate and will move with public opinion. Though it may seem a touch outrageous to favor Paul over the former Middleweight champion, there’s reason that confidence in Paul is high at the moment. He remains undefeated as a boxer, has shown genuine knockout power, and now has two wins over another UFC champ.

Bisping is 43 years of age and has one functional eye.

At the same time, Bisping is an actually Middleweight! Unlike every one of Paul’s passed opponents, Bisping would not be significantly smaller than his opponent. Furthermore, Bisping is a longtime striker, not a wrestler like Ben Askren. He should be far more comfortable and accustomed to trading in big gloves. After all, the UFC Hall of Famer was a professional kickboxer before his MMA career.

All in all, it seems like a reasonable next step for Paul, a challenging but not impossible opponent. But, is there money to be made on this line?