Tag: Manel Kape

Manel Kape claims he could beat Israel Adesanya in a street fight: ‘I’m undefeated in the streets’

Manel Kape claims he could beat Israel Adesanya in a street fight: 'I'm undefeated in the streets'Manel Kape believes he could take Israel Adesanya in a street fight. During a recent appearance on the JAXXON…

Manel Kape claims he could beat Israel Adesanya in a street fight: 'I'm undefeated in the streets'

Manel Kape believes he could take Israel Adesanya in a street fight.

During a recent appearance on the JAXXON podcast with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, ‘Starboy’ claimed that he could take ‘The Last Stylebender’ in a scrap, regardless of the size disparity between the two.

“I’m undefeated in the streets. I don’t give a f*ck. I beat already many, many, many guys of his size. I don’t give a f*ck [about his size],” Kape said. “Put him in front of me in the streets, and we’re gonna see. It’s everything in the street… I’m pretty good too, brother” (h/t MiddleEasy).

It’s a pretty bold statement coming from Kape who stands at 5’6″ and regularly fights at 125 pounds — when he actually makes weight. By comparison Adesanya is 6’4″ tall and fights at middleweight, a weight class 60 pounds heavier than the one Kape calls home.

It’s certainly not the first time Kape has had something negative to say about fighters out of City Kickboxing in New Zealand. Last year, ‘Starboy’ went in on Adesanya’s teammate, Kai Kara-France, calling him and the entire gym a “bunch of f****ts” during a post-fight interview.

Manel Kape and Adesanya

Manel Kape continues fighting for his first uFC title opportunity while Adesanya prepares for his 12th career championship scrap

Manel Kape has won his last four fights inside the Octagon. Unfortunately, the streak has done little in the way of earning him a title opportunity amid a slew of canceled clashes. ‘Starboy’ was forced to withdraw from a fight with Matheus Nicolau on two separate occasions, one of which was because he failed to make the flyweight limit.

However, it should be noted that multiple fights, including bouts with Kai Kara-France, Deiveson Figueiredo, Alex Perez, Rogério Bontorin, and Alexandre Pantoja were all scrapped for a variety of issues, none of which were Kape’s fault.

Manel Kape

As for Adesanya, the ‘Stylebender’ is primed for a big return in 2024 after losing his middleweight crown for the second time in a year. The former two-time titleholder is expected to square off with reigning 185-pound king Dricus Du Plessis when he steps back inside the Octagon, though no official announcements have been made.

Adesanya and DDP

Watch the full JAXXON podcast episode below:

Dana White refuses to force fighters to apologize for using homophobic slurs despite backlash after UFC 293

Dana White Manel Kape UFC 293The UFC president Dana White seems to be an avid believer in free speech, as he refuses to force fighters to apologize for saying things, even if those things happen to include homophobic slurs. At UFC 293, a moment of great promotional footage was ruined when UFC flyweight Manel Kape called Kai Kara France’s teammates […]

Dana White Manel Kape UFC 293

The UFC president Dana White seems to be an avid believer in free speech, as he refuses to force fighters to apologize for saying things, even if those things happen to include homophobic slurs.

At UFC 293, a moment of great promotional footage was ruined when UFC flyweight Manel Kape called Kai Kara France’s teammates a bunch of f****** at the tail end of what was a compelling callout by Kape. Earlier in the night, Charlie Radtke also said a homophobic term after his fight, which in today’s day and age is definitely not kosher.

When asked about these homophobic terms by reporters, Dana White defended his fighters and claimed they just got lost in the excitement of the moment. “I think these guys get a little excited and they make bad mistakes,” White said (H/T MMA Junkie). “Radtke did the same thing, and you know me: we didn’t run over to him and say ‘you better apologize’. He did that on his own.”

Dana White defends his fighters for homophobic slur use at UFC 293

“We make mistakes,” White continued. “I am not holier than thou either, so we’ve all been in positions where we’ve made mistakes. Like I always say, it’s how you recover from it and how you carry yourself after you make the mistake.”

“He came out and apologized on his own free will,” Dana White said. “We didn’t tell him to do anything, and the fact that he did that means he means it. I don’t make anybody apologize for anything. You do what you want. You’re grown men and women. You’re able to say what you want. He did it. He was embarrassed and he apologized. I’m sure some people will accept his apology and some people won’t.”

Both Kape and Radtke apologized for what they said, and it seems no punishment will be doled out by the UFC. It’s honestly a little bit contradictory when you reflect on the time that former UFC superstar Nate Diaz wrote a Tweet that included a homophobic slur and promptly got suspended by the UFC. The Diaz suspension happened back in 2013, roughly a decade before the famous incident on New Year’s Eve where Dana White was filmed slapping his wife across the face mid-argument.

White received no penalty for that event, and perhaps it’s even why he’s seemingly being more lenient now compared to the UFC’s actions in handling the Diaz situation back in 2013.

What do you think about Kape and Radtke saying homophobic slurs at UFC 293, and the way Dana White is handling the situation?

Manel Kape drops homophobic slur in vulgar UFC 293 post-Fight tirade at City Kickboxing fighters

Manel KapeFlyweight standout Manel Kape didn’t let Charlie Radtke have all the fun on Saturday night. ‘Starboy’ stepped into the Octagon as part of the promotion’s stacked UFC 293 main card inside the Qudos Bank Arena with late-notice replacement opponent Felipe dos Santos. Despite having two weight cuts in a relatively short period of time, dos […]

Manel Kape

Flyweight standout Manel Kape didn’t let Charlie Radtke have all the fun on Saturday night.

‘Starboy’ stepped into the Octagon as part of the promotion’s stacked UFC 293 main card inside the Qudos Bank Arena with late-notice replacement opponent Felipe dos Santos. Despite having two weight cuts in a relatively short period of time, dos Santos brought the fight to Kape throughout their three-round affair. Both fighters delivered a highly entertaining fight for the fans in Australia that ultimately saw Manel Kape score a unanimous decision win that extended his win streak to four.

Unfortunately, the 15-minute slugfest was quickly forgotten as Kape took to the mic and delivered an explicit-filled post-fight interview that largely targeted his original opponent for the event, Kai Kara-France.

“I was supposed to fight Kai Kara. You motherf*cker, you’re here. You show up, you piece of sh*t,” Manel Kape said, directing his comments toward Kara-France who was in the crowd. “You are a piece of sh*t. That’s what you are. Hey, listen guys. Listen. I’m gonna fight you next and if you refuse again to fight me, I’m going to your city. I’m going to your camp. I’m gonna spar you there and no one’s gonna do anything. You know why? All your teammates are a bunch of f****ts.

Manel Kape Wasn’t the Only Fighter to Drop the Other F-Bomb at UFC 293

It was the second such interview of the night where a fighter dropped the homophobic slur following an otherwise noteworthy victory. The first came when UFC newcomer Charlie Radtke called fans in attendance the same disgusting word as they booed his performance against Mike Mathetha, aka Blood Diamond, during the early prelims.

As he did with Radtke, Daniel Cormier quickly pulled the microphone away from Kape and wrapped up the interview.

With two separate incidents of homosexual vilification on the same night, one has to wonder what the UFC will do if anything to curb the unnecessary and downright vile insults that plagued an otherwise entertaining event in The Land Down Under.

Alex Perez confirms he suffered seizure backstage ahead of UFC San Antonio fight with Manel Kape

Alex Perez confirms seizure forced him from UFC San AntonioFormer UFC flyweight title challenger, Alex Perez has confirmed how a seizure suffered backstage during his warm-up ahead of a fight with Manel Kape at UFC San Antonio last night, resulted in his removal from the Texas card. Perez, who has been sidelined since July of last year where he suffered a decision loss to […]

Alex Perez confirms seizure forced him from UFC San Antonio

Former UFC flyweight title challenger, Alex Perez has confirmed how a seizure suffered backstage during his warm-up ahead of a fight with Manel Kape at UFC San Antonio last night, resulted in his removal from the Texas card.

Perez, who has been sidelined since July of last year where he suffered a decision loss to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 277, had previously challenged for undisputed flyweight gold against former champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.

Headlining UFC 255 in November 2020 against the Brazilian on short-notice, Perez, the current #6 ranked flyweight contender, suffered a first round submission loss, with Figueiredo latching onto a guillotine choke inside just two minutes of the first frame. 

Seeing a slew of fights against the likes of Brandon Moreno, Aksar Askarov, Matt Schnell, and Kai Kara-France shelved in recent years, Perez was forced from last night’s main card fight against former Rizin FF champion, Kape due to health issues.

Alex Perez confirms a medical emergency forced him from UFC San Antonio

Posting an official statement on his Instagram account, Perez, a staple under Colin Oyama in California, confirmed he had suffered a seizure backstage during his warm-up routine for his main card fight with Kape.

“First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for all the support and concerns,” Alex Perez posted. “I was doing my pre-fight warm up and had a seizure. I immediately received medical attention. My hydration, eletrolytes, etc were all more than adequate.”

“This has nothing to do with weight cut,” Alex Perez continued. “It was one of the easiest cuts of my career. I will be undergoing further testing in the upcoming weeks to determine the cause. I would appreciate privacy. My apologizes to my opponent and fans. Thank you to the UFC medical team for their help and support.” 

In his most recent Octagon victory, Perez managed to defeat Jussier Formiga with a first round TKO courtesy of leg kicks at UFC 250 in June 2020. 

Report: Manel Kape Booked For First UFC Fight Since Muhammad Mokaev Loss

UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape will have the chance to get his ball rolling once again before the year is out. Kape (19-7) had his pursuit of a title shot and rematch with reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja stalled at UFC 304 this past April, where he fell short across three rounds opposite Muhammad Mokaev inside […]

Continue Reading Report: Manel Kape Booked For First UFC Fight Since Muhammad Mokaev Loss at MMA News.

UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape will have the chance to get his ball rolling once again before the year is out.

Kape (19-7) had his pursuit of a title shot and rematch with reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja stalled at UFC 304 this past April, where he fell short across three rounds opposite Muhammad Mokaev inside Manchester’s Co-op Live.

That result snapped the Angola-born Portuguese fighter’s four-fight winning run. And to bounce back this year, Kape will need to defend his #9 ranking against a name outside the top 10.

Per Brazilian outlet Ag. Fight, Kape will return to meet the challenge of Bruno Silva (14-5-2, 1 NC) at the UFC Fight Night in Tampa, Florida on December 14.

Prior to his setback opposite Mokaev, Kape had risen the ranks with victories over Ode’ Osbourne, Zhalgas Zhumagulov, David Dvo?ák, and Felipe dos Santos. That run established the former Rizin bantamweight champion as a contender after an 0-2 start to life in the UFC.

Silva, meanwhile, went winless across his first three UFC fights. Like Kape, however, he’s enjoyed a strong resurgence by having his hand raised in four consecutive bouts. “Bulldog” most recently followed a submission victory over Tyson Nam by knocking out Cody Durden at the Apex this past July.

With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Tampa on Dec. 14 are as follows:

  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas (women’s strawweight)
  • Manel Kape vs. Bruno Silva (flyweight)
  • Tracy Cortez vs. Miranda Maverick (women’s flyweight)
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Vitor Petrino (light heavyweight)
  • Davey Grant vs. Ramon Taveras (bantamweight)
  • Piera Rodriguez vs. Josefine Knutsson (women’s strawweight)
  • Tuco Tokkos vs. Navajo Striling (light heavyweight)

Continue Reading Report: Manel Kape Booked For First UFC Fight Since Muhammad Mokaev Loss at MMA News.

Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’ 

UFC flyweight Manel Kape believes he was robbed of victory against Muhammad Mokaev in Manchester, seemingly by both the judges and referee. Kape and Mokaev entered the Octagon during the UFC 304 preliminary card in the early hours of Sunday morning in the UK for a fight that was among the most talked about leading […]

Continue Reading Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’  at MMA News.

UFC flyweight Manel Kape believes he was robbed of victory against Muhammad Mokaev in Manchester, seemingly by both the judges and referee.

Kape and Mokaev entered the Octagon during the UFC 304 preliminary card in the early hours of Sunday morning in the UK for a fight that was among the most talked about leading into the pay-per-view event.

In the eyes of most, the bout was a likely title eliminator at 125 pounds, and the stakes and anticipation only increased when they got into numerous aggressive altercations during fight week.

The pair ultimately failed to deliver on their promise of a barnburner at the Co-op Live, however, with Mokaev having his hand raised on the scorecards following a low-output and low-entertainment affair.

While some disagreed with the decision going in “The Punisher’s” favor, the biggest point of contention came in round one when the Dagestan-born brit displayed some of the most egregious fouling in recent memory.

After landing a takedown, Mokaev blatantly pulled Kape’s shorts down, leading to firm complaints from “Starboy.” But despite the views of the commentary team and many in the community, no point was taken.

That fact has left the defeated Kape less than pleased…

Kape Admits He Underperformed At UFC 304 But Claims He Deserved More

A few hours on from his disappointing setback in Manchester, Kape took to social media to release his first public statement on the result.

The Angola-born Portuguese flyweight insisted he deserved the victory and pointed out Mokaev’s cheating early on, as well as some other fouls he believes went unpunished from referee Mike Beltran.

“I definitely won this fight, that pull of the shorts deserved to be removed the point, two fingers in the eyes, 3 kicks in balls,” Kape wrote. “Anyway, It was not the best performance, I apologize for those who expected the best from me but only Allah knows. Alhamdulillah for everything.”

While he may have had his championship ambitions stalled for the time being, he appears to have had the last laugh in his feud with Mokaev.

After it emerged that the Dagestan-born Brit would be completing the final fight on his contract at UFC 304, Dana White revealed at the post-fight press conference that the promotion wouldn’t be re-signing “The Punisher,” seemingly owing to issues outside of the Octagon.

Continue Reading Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’  at MMA News.