'Starboy' had already proven himself as an incredibly dangerous striker before he signed at the UFC in 2020.
The flight weight candidate has continued to live up to that reputation in the Octagon with Manel Kape who finishes some highlights.
Although his run has not been seamless, with Kape's fight against people like Muhammad Mokaev and Kai Kara-France who land him in hot water, his exciting style enables him to silence critics.
The 31-year-old returns to action this weekend at UFC Vegas 103, where KAPE is confronted with ASU Almabayev in a big fight for the division after the withdrawal of Brandon Royval.
Although he has a big task for him when he is confronted with the #8-ranked competition, the often pronounced competitioner is no stranger in the spotlight.
Saitama, Japan – December 31: Manel Kape is celebrating the victory in the Rizin Bantam Weight Championship during the Rizin.20 in Saitama Super Arena on December 31, 2019 in Saitama, Japan. Credit: Masashi Hara/Getty Images
Manel Kape earned revenge over Kai Asakura in his last fight in Rizin
Before he signed at the UFC, Manel Kape made his name in the Japanese promotion Rizin where he fought nine times after debuting in 2017.
He was 5-3 in his last fight for the promotion on New Year's Eve of 2019, where after producing back-to-back victories and finishes, he called for a rematch with bantam weight champion Kyoji Horiguchi.
With Horiguchi injured, the title was emptied with Kape's opponent for the main event of Rizin 20 in Saitama Super Arena as his former enemy and Japanese star, Kai Asakura.
Asakura had defeated him in May 2018 through a split decision, but when securing revenge, Kape claimed the empty title after an exciting striking game between them.
Asakura had some success by using its size and benefit, but KAGE was consistently able to close that distance to land attacks on the inside.
This came to a head in the second round, where 'Starboy' landed a huge right hand in a back and forth boxing to drop his opponent, to fall on pressure with land and pounds and to him for the second time dropping the interruption.
With Kape who left the title when he signed at the UFC, Asakura won the empty belt in his next fight before he lost it to Horiguchi in December 2020.
The 31-year-old would terminate his run in Rizin by reclaiming the belt by stopping Juan Archuleta at Rizin 45 before he came to KAPE in the UFC, where he fell short during his debut when he challenged Alexandre Pantoja for the flightweight title on UFC 310.
Manel Kape has to turn a corner in his UFC career
Manel Kape has had a somewhat frustrating point in the UFC since he debuted in the Octagon in 2021.
It took him a bit of time to find his feet after losing back-to-back, but even when he did, his win reak with four fights against Muhammad Mokaev came in a fight that neither of them did.
'Starboy' looked the last time out to his stylish best against Bruno Silva, but that makes his main event even more important on 1 March.
Kape needs Momentum after a few questionable actions and many combat abnormalities, but that will not be easy to produce against ASU Almabayev who won 17 fights in a row.
Comments