Tag: Manel Kape

Manel Kape Has Title Shot Pleas Rejected After Standout UFC Tampa Performance

UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape didn’t shy away from letting the brass know what he wants at Saturday’s event in Tampa. After having his title plans stalled by Muhammad Mokaev in Manchester this past July, Kape returned to action at the UFC’s final event of 2024, where he was tasked with defending his position on […]

UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape didn’t shy away from letting the brass know what he wants at Saturday’s event in Tampa.

After having his title plans stalled by Muhammad Mokaev in Manchester this past July, Kape returned to action at the UFC’s final event of 2024, where he was tasked with defending his position on the ladder against Bruno Silva.

“Starboy” bounced back in style, putting on a show with the kind of striking and confident showboating that attracted the MMA leader’s attention while he held gold under the Rizin banner.

And following two strong rounds, Kape closed the show with strikes in the final frame to cap off a near-flawless return to the win column.

In the aftermath, the Angola-born Portuguese fighter pleaded with Dana White cageside, making his case for the next shot at Alexandre Pantoja. That was a continuation of a conversation Kape also attempted to start in-between rounds.

Unfortunately for “Starboy,” he seemingly wasn’t persuasive enough.

During the post-fight press conference backstage at Amalie Arena, UFC CEO Dana White reflected on Kape’s perseverance when it came to pitching a rematch with champ Pantoja, whom he lost to in his promotional debut back in 2021.

White did not, however, have the answer the flyweight contender would have been hoping for.

“No, he’s not getting a title shot,” White said. “But we’ll definitely give him what he’s looking for.”

It’s unclear what White is referring to, given that Kape was looking for a shot at redemption opposite Pantoja with the flyweight gold on the line next year.

Regardless, it seems “Starboy” has some work to do if he’s to secure a first championship opportunity on MMA’s biggest stage and the chance to add UFC gold to his trophy cabinet in the sport.

‘Where Was This When He Fought Mokaev?’ – Fans React As Manel Kape Puts On A Show In UFC Tampa Return

Manel Kape looked to make a statement as to why he should be next in line for Alexandre Pantoja and the UFC flyweight championship. And perhaps he’s made a case after his finish of Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa. Kape’s path to victory in the fight didn’t come without battle scars. Silva landed three low […]

Manel Kape looked to make a statement as to why he should be next in line for Alexandre Pantoja and the UFC flyweight championship. And perhaps he’s made a case after his finish of Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa.

Kape’s path to victory in the fight didn’t come without battle scars. Silva landed three low blows on “Starboy” before the halfway point of the fight, resulting in the Brazilian being deducted one point.

Ultimately, that didn’t make a difference for Silva. Kape’s offense was on full display over the course of the second round, and though Silva landed some power during the third frame, the top 10 contender landed a kick that started a flurry and quickly put “Bulldog” away.

Silva argued (ironically) that the initial kick was a low blow, but it wasn’t enough to overturn referee Keith Petersen’s original no call.

Kape has now won five of his last six fights and rebounds from his lackluster fight with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 this past July.

Meanwhile, this loss snaps a four-fight win streak that Silva rode into UFC Tampa on.

Manel Kape: Referee Mike Beltran Should Have Been Fired For ‘B*tch Move’ In Muhammad Mokaev Fight

UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape is set to return this weekend in Tampa where he closes out his 2024 campaign by facing off with the dangerous Bruno Silva at the Amelie Arena. This contest will be his first fight back since his controversial clash with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 in Manchester this past July. […]

UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape is set to return this weekend in Tampa where he closes out his 2024 campaign by facing off with the dangerous Bruno Silva at the Amelie Arena. This contest will be his first fight back since his controversial clash with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 in Manchester this past July.

There was a lot of tension between the two men throughout fight week that spilled over once they got inside the Octagon. However, once the fight itself had actually started, it wasn’t the most exciting contest. Mokaev’s win should’ve seen the undefeated contender solidify his status as the next in line for a flyweight title shot but instead, the UFC chose to not re-sign him after he had no fights left on his deal.

Considering all of the drama between them in the lead up to their fight, it’s not surprising that Kape isn’t upset about his former opponent departing the promotion. During his media day interviews, “Starboy” labelled “The Punisher” as “dirty”, accusing him of committing multiple fouls in their fight that changed the outcome.

Kape also places some of the blame for that fight on the third man inside the Octagon, referee Mike Beltran. He believes that he was having to do Beltran’s job for him after the official failed to spot and penalize Mokaev’s infringements and for that, he thinks Beltran should have also been forced to leave.

“What is even worse is the referee. I don’t think he was a man; it was a b*tch move,” Kape said. “He was looking at him when he grabbed my shorts, and when I dropped my hands to lose the position, Mokaev still grabbed my shorts out of fear because it was one of my favorite submissions, the kneebar. I felt the victory in the moment. If I had gotten the victory, no one would have called the fight boring because I would have finished him.

“The referee should have taken a point; he didn’t do his job. Mokaev got fired, and one of the other people that should have been fired was the referee, as he didn’t do his job…the referee was the main issue. Listen,” Kape continued. “There was also an issue when I punched Mokaev, and he put a finger in my eye, so I gave my back because it was bad, and the referee didn’t do anything…I felt in that fight that I was a fighter and referee because it was me who stopped the fight multiple times…there were multiple fouls, and I think the UFC should fire him as well. So, it was just Mokaev.”

Watch Kape’s full media day interview via MMA Fighting below:

“I’d Make Him Dance” – Manel Kape Takes Aim at Brandon Moreno’s Performance

"I’d Make Him Dance": Manel Kape Takes Aim at Brandon Moreno’s PerformanceManel Kape would love to see Brandon Moreno stand and trade with him. Returning to the Octagon on Saturday…

"I’d Make Him Dance": Manel Kape Takes Aim at Brandon Moreno’s Performance

Manel Kape would love to see Brandon Moreno stand and trade with him.

Returning to the Octagon on Saturday night in Edmonton, ‘The Assassin Baby’ delivered a lights-out performance against Amir Albazi in the evening’s main event, securing a decisive unanimous decision and cementing his status as one of the flyweight division’s top contenders.

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The win snapped a two-fight losing skid for the former flyweight champion that saw him drop back-to-back split decisions against Brandon Royval and reigning titleholder Alexandre Pantoja.

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Depending on how things play out in Pantoja’s next title defense against RIZIN star Kai Asakura at UFC 310 on December 7, Moreno could be the next man in line for a shot at the gold. On the other hand, Moreno may need one more win to secure another crack at the crown.

If that turns out to be the case, Kape would love to be the one to go toe-to-toe with the ex-champ and make him dance inside the Octagon.

Manel Kape

“I would like to see Moreno stand like that in front of me, I would make him dance the chicken dance,” Kape wrote on X. “But we have to give the credits, good performance.”

Manel Kape faces a tough test against Bruno Silva on December 14

If ‘Starboy’ wants a shot at the UFC’s first Mexican-born champion, he’ll have to pass a tough test when he meets streaking standout Bruno Silva.

Manel Kape

Coming off four-straight finishes, including a second-round TKO against Cody Durden in July, Silva will look to break into the flyweight top 10 when he meets the eighth-ranked Kape at UFC Tampa on December 14.

Kape goes into the bout having won four of his last five, though he will be looking to bounce back after suffering a unanimous decision loss against Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 in Manchester.

Muhammad Mokaev Explains Hugging Manel Kape Post-Fight At UFC 304: ‘I’m Young, But I’m Not Stupid’

Muhammad Mokaev has detailed his reasoning for burying the hatchet with Manel Kape despite their pre-fight animosity at UFC 304. Mokaev and Kape collided on the preliminary card of this past weekend’s pay-per-view event, which went down inside the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England. Their fight was among the most anticipated in the lead-up, […]

Continue Reading Muhammad Mokaev Explains Hugging Manel Kape Post-Fight At UFC 304: ‘I’m Young, But I’m Not Stupid’ at MMA News.

Muhammad Mokaev has detailed his reasoning for burying the hatchet with Manel Kape despite their pre-fight animosity at UFC 304.

Mokaev and Kape collided on the preliminary card of this past weekend’s pay-per-view event, which went down inside the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

Their fight was among the most anticipated in the lead-up, partially down to the bad blood that appeared to exist between the two flyweight contenders owing to a number of physical altercations.

Following an apparent bust-up at the UFC Performance Institute in March instigated by “Starboy,” Mokaev returned the favor on home turf during UFC 304 fight week, sucker-punching his opponent outside the fighter hotel.

The pair went on to attempt to come to blows inside the Octagon moments before their bout, but that aggression did not transcend into the contest itself, which played out in a low-volume and unentertaining fashion en route to the scorecards.

At the end of the final round, the pair embraced in a hug, something that many might have been surprised to see given their back and forth beforehand.

Mokaev On Settling Kape Beef: ‘The Man Is Here To Feed His Family’

During a backstage interview with Caroline Pearce for TNT Sports, Mokaev reflected on his victorious performance over Kape and addressed some of the talking points that emerged from the UFC 304 matchup.

When asked about his respectful post-fight interaction with his Angola-born Portuguese rival, “The Punisher” insisted that when it comes time to do battle inside the Octagon, the hatchet must be buried.

“It was more personal. It happened in Vegas five days before my fight against Alex Perez. I had a cut. … Once he came to Manchester, once I see him, I had to welcome him to Manchester,” Mokaev said. “You know, the man is here to feed his family. He has a baby, I have a kid in the house. We’re both here to make our fridge full. I cannot kick a man down. He is already down.

“In this situation, I could have got knocked out tonight too. And I wouldn’t like it if somebody kept kicking me down and talking sh*t,” Mokaev continued. “What ever happened, it happened on the streets. Inside the Octagon, I think it should be settled. I’m young, but I’m not stupid.”

Despite that, Kape has been criticizing Mokaev on social media in recent days, first slamming him for a number of fouls that took place before later accusing him of tapping to a guillotine choke.

The Dagestan-born Brit’s online activity, meanwhile, has largely centered around his surprise UFC release. At the UFC 304 post-fight press conference, Dana White revealed that the promotion wouldn’t be renewing Mokaev’s contract owing to factors outside of the Octagon.

Continue Reading Muhammad Mokaev Explains Hugging Manel Kape Post-Fight At UFC 304: ‘I’m Young, But I’m Not Stupid’ at MMA News.

Muhammad Mokaev Defends Pulling Manel Kape’s Shorts Down At UFC 304: ‘There’s A Reason We Have Warnings…’ 

UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev appears keen to make the most of some controversial leniency from mixed martial arts referees. Mokaev was among the most talked about fighters leading into this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event in Manchester, England — and in the aftermath. The Dagestan-born Brit appeared on the preliminary card, sharing the Octagon […]

Continue Reading Muhammad Mokaev Defends Pulling Manel Kape’s Shorts Down At UFC 304: ‘There’s A Reason We Have Warnings…’  at MMA News.

UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev appears keen to make the most of some controversial leniency from mixed martial arts referees.

Mokaev was among the most talked about fighters leading into this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event in Manchester, England — and in the aftermath.

The Dagestan-born Brit appeared on the preliminary card, sharing the Octagon with Manel Kape. While relegated from the main card, the matchup was among the most anticipated in the lead-up to the numbered event.

But despite the pair’s apparent bad blood, fueled by multiple altercations during fight week, the bout fell flat. “The Punisher” ultimately had his hand raised on the scorecards, but the manner of victory left Mokaev as the subject of criticism.

In addition to that being down to the low-volume and entertainment nature of the fight, the 23-year-old also raised eyebrows with one particular tactic he employed on the ground. After taking Kape down in the first round, the Brit blatantly pulled “Starboy’s” shorts.

Many have suggested Mokaev was fortunate to escape without losing a point, but the man himself seemingly has no regrets, insisting he’ll use whatever warnings he has in the chamber to stretch the rules…

Mokaev On UFC 304 Fouling: ‘I Have To Take Every Single Opportunity’

During a backstage interview in Manchester with Caroline Pearce for TNT Sports, Mokaev reflected on his victory over Kape and some of the controversy surrounding it.

In his first post-fight statement on social media, the Angola-born Portuguese flyweight slammed Mokaev for the pull of his shots, as well as multiple other fouls he believes went against him.

The topic of how referees enforce the rules has long been a prominent one, with frequent fouls such as fence grabs going unpunished and met with a multitude of verbal warnings.

Mokaev, though, appeared to share a ‘if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying’ mantra.

“It’s a fight, yeah? You grab, do everything you can to win a fight,” Mokaev said. “There’s a reason we’ve got the warnings. I’ll do everything. I am young, I have to take every single opportunity in the Octagon. I know sometimes stuff doesn’t look (good), but I’ll do what I can.”

Unfortunately for Mokaev, his performance and conduct in Manchester evidently didn’t impress the UFC, with Dana White revealing during the UFC 304 post-fight press conference that the promotion wouldn’t be re-signing the flyweight up-and-comer.

It remains to be seen what lies in the future of “The Punisher,” who told TNT Sports in the aftermath of his win that he was hoping to be sent a new contract ahead of a possible title shot against Alexandre Pantoja.

It now appears that he’ll have to adjust his sights to a championship elsewhere.

Continue Reading Muhammad Mokaev Defends Pulling Manel Kape’s Shorts Down At UFC 304: ‘There’s A Reason We Have Warnings…’  at MMA News.