Supremely talented flyweight Manel Kape is officially back in the win column, scoring a fabulous third-round knockout on the main card of UFC Tampa last night.
Whilst UFC fans around the world are celebrating yet another impressive performance from ‘Starboy’, the stoppage was sadly not enough to secure him as the next flyweight title challenger.
Dana White rejects Manel Kape’s demand for title shot after third-round KO
Manel Kape put on a masterful performance last night at UFC Tampa, battering Brazilian Bruno Silva from pillar to post before earning the knockout deep into the third round – the 12th KO/TKO win of his career.
Manel Kape talking to Dana White before the final round 🤣 #UFCTampa pic.twitter.com/cx1fQs6JxM
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) December 15, 2024
If it wasn’t obvious that the Portuguese Angolan ‘Starboy’ is desperate to secure a fight against champion Alexandre Pantoja, Kape would even begin his petition to Dana White between the second and third rounds.
UFC cameras were only able to pick up a small portion of their cageside conversation, with White being heard telling Kape to remain focused on the task at hand.
“How did you know what we were talking about – that’s fascinating,” joked White at the post-fight press conference: “I’m like ‘Let’s finish this one first, you’ve still got five more minutes’ – and he went out and did it.”
Whilst White might have been impressed by both the confidence and performance of the #9 ranked flyweight, the UFC CEO was adamant that Kape wouldn’t be getting the next title shot.
“No, he’s not getting a title shot but we’ll definitely give him what he’s looking for.”
When asked who would be getting the next shot at Alexandre Pantoja, who bested Kai Asakura last weekend at UFC 310, White simply stated: “No clue, sitting right here right now, no clue.”
Given how Manel Kape’s focus is entirely on the title, it’s unclear what White could offer in return, if not Pantoja – perhaps the promotion is looking to re-sign nemesis Muhammad Mokaev, who coincidentally won his own return bout this weekend at Brave CF 91.
Manel Kape says he’ll go to Dana White’s house in order to continue petition
At the post-fight press conference, Kape would claim that if he didn’t get the chance to speak with White after UFC Tampa, he could simply go over to his house to continue the title petition.
“Me and Dana, we are neighbors, we live 10 minutes away from each other, so you know, if we don’t get that conversation then I’m going to his home – I’m going to knock on his door.”
“I know my caliber, I know my skills,” Kape told Megan Olivi via ESPN MMA, noting that both he and Pantoja have now come through their fights with minimal damage.
“[It could happen] whenever Dana wants, I’m healthy and Pantoja is healthy too… I’m ready to go in 2025.”
Ahead of Tuesday’s update, there are just four flyweights who are ranked above Kape and are on winning streaks – those being Brandon Royval (#1), Brandon Moreno (#2), Kai Kara-France (#4), and Asu Almabayev (#7).