Athletes
Manel Kape | Made For Five Rounds
Flyweight Contender Manel Kape May Have Had To Deal With A Late Opponent Switch, But His Plan To Make A Statement Remains The Same
Manel Kape plans to showcase his championship credentials, regardless of the opposition, when he steps into the Octagon at the UFC APEX this weekend.
Ahead of fight night in Las Vegas, Kape finds himself sixth in the UFC's official flyweight rankings, and was originally set to face the division's number-one contender Brandon Royval in a fight that could have catapulted him into a title fight later this year.
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However, Royval was forced to withdraw from the event and Kape now finds himself facing dangerous Top 10 opposition in the form of Kazakhstan's Asu Almabayev.
Going from a fight against the top contender to a bout against a man ranked two spots below him in the rankings may put a different emphasis on the matchup, but Kape is insistent that his assignment remains the same – and the same reward should be waiting for him at the end of it.
"I see this a title eliminator," Kape told UFC.com during fight week in Las Vegas.
"I didn't pull out of this fight, it was Brandon Royval. We both signed the contracts. I'm still here, with injuries or without injuries. I'm still going to this fight. Against Asu, I'm doing my job. I never choose opponents, and whoever they give me (I'll fight).
"In Australia. I was supposed to fight Kai Kara-France. They gave me a newcomer, and I faced him. I believe another person in my position will do (things) different to secure their ranking. But that's not who I really am.
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"It could be a newcomer again, or it could be someone UFC offers me. I'll still accept the fight and show that I trust myself. The deeper message is that I trust myself, I trust my skills, and I trust my game, and I'm gonna win, whoever they put in front of me."
For Kape, the change in opponent is simply a case of him making the necessary adjustments. But the goal, and his motivation, are no different against Almabayev than they were when he was preparing to face Royval.
"The only change is that Royval is a taller fighter (and) I could work my body shots," he explained.
"I like to strike to the body. I like to make people pay and do more this (type of) game.
"But against Asu, he's a much shorter guy. He reminds me of Bruno Silva. I will target more his face.
"I believe his face is going to be full of blood, because he's going to be right there, and I have a longer reach. So that's the only thing I've changed in my game."
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Kape lost back-to-back decisions in his first two fights in the Octagon, but bounced back with a four-fight win streak that saw him rise up the flyweight ranks.
Yet after an ill-tempered fight week at UFC 304 in Manchester, Kape lost a unanimous decision to Muhammad Mokaev. But, after taking stock following that defeat, he came back and produced an excellent performance to defeat Bruno Silva in Tampa last December.
After busting up the Brazilian with strikes throughout the contest, he eventually overwhelmed his man with punches to score a statement-making TKO victory in the third round.
"The last fight was important to show how skilled I am and how mature I am inside the Octagon," he explained.
"Last fight I feel I (showed) all of the training, the dedication I've put into this sport, and showed my real self, who I really am."
Now Kape is ready to showcase his evolution as a fighter when he faces Almabayev this weekend. The change of opponent brings a different test, and Kape knows he's facing a legitimate threat. But he's relishing the challenge ahead.
MAIN EVENT: Manel Kape Interview | Asu Almabayev Interview
"He's a great fighter, but he's more a decision guy, and his conditioning is not the best," he said.
"He is not the same fighter in the first and third round, and that's the key.
"I'm going to take advantage in that fight. I'm the same fighter, and even better when the rounds go up and up. So, for me, fighting five rounds is fighting on my terms, and I'll take the opportunity.
"But, if (he) makes any mistake in the first round, I'll make him pay."
When Kape was booked to headline this card, he took the fight with the intention of earning a title shot. And, if he's successful in that quest, he could find himself back in the Octagon with Alexandre Pantoja, who he faced in a losing effort back in February 2021.
Despite the result, Kape took plenty of positives from that fight, and said that fighting over the five-round championship duration would give him the crucial edge in a potential rematch.
"I'm a fighter made for five rounds," he stated.
"In our fight, I was winning the last round, so that's the thing people should pay attention to.
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"For a long time, I didn't fight in the cage. I was familiarizing myself with the cage all the time and then I was getting warmed up and ready to go.
"It was a competitive fight, but definitely, if we face (off) over five rounds, I'm gonna be 100 percent, or 1,000 percent, the winner."
To earn that rematch with Pantoja, Kape needs to impress this weekend against Almabayev. And, while he's looking forward to dragging his opponent into deep water, he said he'll be primed and ready for any opening Almabayev might give him.
"Against Asu, you can expect a very mature fighter," he promised.
"I'll do my best for the win, and the key is going to be patient in this fight. Like I say, I want to have a long night. But if Asu makes any mistakes, I'm gonna finish him."
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Almabayev took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 1, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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