Manel Kape can’t help but antagonize his opponents before they step into the ring or cage.
The former RIZIN Bantamweight champion has been known for his hot temper and outspoken nature. The Angolan infamously got into a brief scuffle with former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran, Ian McCall, at the weigh-ins for their bout at RIZIN’s 2017 World Grand Prix Second Round. History has now repeated itself, to an extent.
Kape will take on fellow top-ranked UFC Flyweight contender, Muhammad Mokaev, at UFC 304 in Manchester, England this weekend (Sat., July 27, 2024). However, the pair of combatants couldn’t wait until Saturday, as they got into a scuffle in a video shared by Mokaev on his Instagram. The video can be seen in the embedded player above.
The winner of the fight can anticipate a title shot. A victory for either fighter would elevate their position, with Mokaev extending his undefeated streak to 14 (12-0, 1 no contest, 6-0 in UFC) or Kape securing his fifth consecutive win (19-6, 4-2 in UFC).
The ex-135-pound champion anticipates that this upcoming match will pose the greatest challenge yet for his 23-year-old opponent.
“I’m going to try to make this quick because I have to put Mokaev in his place,” Kape said at UFC 304 media day (h/t MMA Junkie). “In my opinion, this is too early for him, but we will see. It’s too early. There is levels to this game. He never faced a championship-caliber [fighter] and I see a lot of mistakes in his game — that’s why I say it’s too early for him.”
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