Manel Kape and Matheus Nicolau are set to headline the UFC Fight Night card on April 27 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, after their original fight was cancelled due to Kape’s illness.
Manel Kape and Matheus Nicolau are set to go head-to-head again. This time, it’s in the main event of the UFC Fight Night card on April 27. The UFC APEX in Las Vegas is the likely venue.
The news of Kape vs. Nicolau headlining the event has been confirmed by multiple insiders. The fight was first announced during the UFC Mexico City card’s Brazilian broadcast in February. MMA Mania was the first to report it as the main event.
The flyweights were supposed to clash earlier in January. But, Kape weighed in three and a half pounds over the limit. This hiccup led to the bout being called off. Kape later admitted to battling an illness during the fight week. Despite this, he tried to compete, but the matchup was eventually scrapped.
Now, they’re ready for a do-over. Kape is looking to settle a score. He’s only lost twice in the UFC, and one of those losses was to Nicolau. It was a split decision back in 2021. Since then, Kape’s been on a roll with four consecutive wins. This streak has put him in the title contention at 125 pounds.
As for Nicolau, he’s looking to bounce back. He lost to Brandon Royval in his last fight, ending his six-fight winning streak in the division. But, hey, everyone has off days, right?
So, Kape vs. Nicolau 2 is all set to headline the card. More fights for the April 27 event are expected to be announced soon.
Oh, and a shout-out to Guilherme Cruz. He contributed to this report.