Manel Kape wasn’t completely surprised when he didn’t get a title shot and was instead scheduled for another fight. After a dominant victory over Bruno Silva in December, Kape hoped to step in against flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja, who lacked a clear top contender after defeating Kai Asakura at UFC 310. However, Kape is now set to headline an event against Asu Almabayev, as Brandon Royval withdrew due to a concussion.
Despite these events, Kape is fine with taking another fight as signs point to Pantoja defending his title against Kai Kara-France. Kape stated that he believes a fight between Pantoja and Kara-France is a good matchup and should happen.
Kape’s negative feelings towards Kara-France are well-known, especially after Kara-France withdrew from their scheduled fight in 2023. Kape has frequently criticized Kara-France since then.
Despite his personal feelings, Kape is honest about how Kara-France might fare against Pantoja for the UFC title. Kape acknowledges that Kara-France possesses a style that could be problematic for Pantoja. Although Kape jokingly called Kara-France names, he admitted that Kara-France has a unique striking style and skillset that could challenge Pantoja in a way other fighters haven’t.
Kape believes Kara-France’s emotional nature could be exploited by Pantoja. However, in terms of striking skills, Kape thinks Kara-France is more skilled than Pantoja, though Pantoja is more well-rounded and experienced, making it an intriguing fight.
While unconfirmed, Kape anticipates Pantoja vs. Kara-France happening soon, potentially setting up Kape to face the winner later this year.
Assuming victory over Almabayev on March 1st, Kape plans to observe Ramadan and then fully focus on securing a title shot.
Kape expressed strong belief that this year will be the year he becomes champion. He feels in excellent shape and training, expecting to deliver another impressive performance before challenging for the title against the winner of the expected Pantoja vs. Kara-France fight. He concludes by stating his faith in his future success.
