No. 6-ranked flyweight contender Manel Kape is no longer fighting at UFC Vegas 84.
“Starboy” missed weight by 3.5 pounds ahead of his Matheus Nicolau rematch, formerly booked for the ESPN+ co-main event on Sat. night (Jan. 13, 2023) at APEX in Las Vegas. The original plan was to fine Kape 25 percent of his purse (payable to Nicolau) and keep the bout intact; however, officials later reversed course and canceled the fight altogether.
For complete UFC Vegas 84 weigh ins results and video click here.
“Guys, I couldn’t make the weight this time, two weeks ago I was extremely sick due to a virus that happened here in Las Vegas and I had to stay out of training for five days and filling myself with antibiotics not only affected me, but many of my training partners,” Kape wrote. “My coaches and my manager thought it was better for me to cancel the fight due to the state I was in but I decided to move on and not cancel. My opponent didn’t accept to fight or accept my purse.”
“I would give him my entire purse if he wants to fight but things are as they are, and I take all the responsibilities,” Kape continued. “Last year I had five fights canceled, one of them my opponent was 11 pounds above, even so I agreed to fight. Thank you to all the UFC PI nutritionists who tried everything for me to make the weight. See you guys soon.”
This marks the second time Kape (19-6) missed weight, having previously registered a three-pound scale fail at UFC 265 back in Aug. 2021. Today’s misstep gives the 30 year-old Angolan the (dis)honor of becoming the first weight-related fight cancelation of 2024. To see the updated UFC Vegas 84 fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.
The show must go on … just without a pair of flyweights.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 84 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 7 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 84 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Ankalaev vs. Walker 2” fight card and ESPN+ line up click here.