Manel Kape is the fighter to watch at UFC San Antonio
After a disastrous start to his UFC career, Manel Kape finally seems to have things under control, and at UFC San Antonio, the 29-year-old will be the fighter to watch.
Over the last two years, the UFC flyweight division is known for the rivalry between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo. While Moreno walked out victorious and reigns as the flyweight champion, the Mexican has many potential contenders waiting to snatch his throne. One such fighter is UFC flyweight Manel Kape, who will battle Alex Perez at UFC San Antonio.
Before one gets to know about Kape's career in the UFC, it is important to understand the 29-year-old's fighting career. Born in Angola, Kape made a name for himself in the Japanese circuit with Rizin Fighting Federation. Not only did Kape become immensely popular at Rizin, but he also became the bantamweight champion of the promotion.
After amassing a record of 6-3 at Rizin FF, Kape got his opportunity in the UFC at flyweight. In his debut fight, the 29-year-old took on the talented Alexandre Pantoja and went on to lose via unanimous decision. In what was a disappointing start, Kape hoped to overshadow his defeat with a victory against Matheus Nicolau in his next fight.
However, this hope turned out to be an utter disappointment as Kape lost to Nicolau via split decision. While many wondered if Kape was made for the UFC or not, he proved his doubters wrong as he secured a first-round KO victory over Ode Osbourne at UFC 255. Since this victory, Kape managed to secure two more decisive wins.
At UFC Vegas 44, Kape was put to the test against Zhalgas Zhumagulov. In what was expected to be a difficult fight, Kape shut down Zhumagulov in the first round and won via TKO. The 29-year-old followed this victory with another beautiful win against David Dvořák at UFKC Vegas 66, making it three wins in a row.
At UFC San Antonio, Manel Kape will look to inch closer toward UFC gold
Kape overcame the odds to find success and make a name for himself in the UFC flyweight division. Currently ranked No. 9, Kape will fight No. 6 ranked Alex Perez, in a bout that means a lot for the 125-pound division of the UFC.
Going into the fight, Kape is an obvious favorite, as he is on a three-fight win streak, compared to his opponents' two-fight losing streak. However, in the sport of MMA, these streaks don't mean much as a fighter can have his lights put out at any moment. Will Kape continue his journey toward UFC gold, or will Alex Perez be a roadblock in his dream? These questions can only be answered at UFC San Antonio.
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