Manel Kape is out of his rescheduled UFC Vegas 91 main event against Matheus Nicolau, who will now face Alex Perez in a new five-round main event.
Manel Kape’s UFC flyweight title dreams are on hold. Again.
The UFC announced on Tuesday that Kape is out of the UFC Vegas 91 main event. The fight was against Matheus Nicolau. But, hey, things change.
Now, Nicolau is set to face Alex Perez. Perez was a one-time title challenger. The fight is now a five-round main event.
This isn’t the first time the Kape vs. Nicolau fight has been cancelled. Deja vu, right? The fight was initially scheduled for UFC Vegas 84 on Jan. 13. But Kape missed weight by three and a half pounds the day before. So, it was cancelled.
UFC Vegas 91? It’s happening on April 27 at the UFC APEX.
Nicolau (19-3-1) is looking to bounce back. He recently suffered a first-round knockout loss to Brandon Royval. He’s hoping Perez will be an easier opponent. Nicolau is 31 and from Brazil. He’s ranked No. 11 in the world for MMA Fighting’s flyweight category. He’s got some notable wins under his belt, including against Kape, Tim Elliott, and John Moraga.
Perez (24-8) is also hoping for a comeback. He’s coming off his third consecutive loss. It was a unanimous decision against Muhammad Mokaev in March. Perez is 32 and from California. He’s ranked No. 12 in MMA Fighting’s flyweight category. He’s also experienced recent first-round stoppage losses to now-champion Alexandre Pantoja and ex-champ Deiveson Figueiredo.
There’s a poll about UFC Vegas 91’s new main event. How would you rate it?