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Manel Kape might make his way to Manchester

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Jacob Walters | Last updated 5/9/24

Manel Kape (19-6) is becoming one of the brightest stars in the UFC. “Starboy” is adapting well to his nickname, taking a four-match winning streak with him. Life is good for the Portuguese fighter, who has even more good news.

Now, he has a new fight happening, this time against Muhammad Mokaev (12-0, 1 NC) in Manchester, England. The fight is expected to happen at UFC 304, with a big-time flyweight fight adding more weight to the card.

Kape needed that good news, especially after being replaced by Alex Perez at UFC Vegas 91. He can continue on the winning track at UFC 304, taking on the English freestyle wrestler. But will the Manchester native overwhelm Kape with the home-octagon advantage? Or will “Starboy” shoot to the moon?

Why fans should watch Manel Kape

Manel Kape is a confident fighter who isn’t afraid to scrap early on. He knows how to strike his opponents (5.12 significant strikes landed per minute) and he can land them accurately (54% accuracy on his significant strikes). The Portuguese flyweight already has half of his UFC victories by knockout.

He also moves well with his opponent, looking for any form of a slip-up. If his opponent makes a mistake, Kape will immediately pounce, punishing his foe with a quick, vicious ground-and-pound. With athleticism that rivals Michel Pereira, the flyweight fighter can make any fight the “fight of the night.”

The tape on Muhammad Mokaev

On the other hand, Muhammad Mokaev loves to grapple with his opponents. How much does he grapple? The Manchester native delivers 5.75 takedowns every 15 minutes. While he isn’t the most accurate with his takedowns (41% accuracy), the grappler does everything to work his opponents.

There’s one thing that Mokaev can do to defeat Manel Kape: Work with the grappling. While Kape is excellent at defending takedowns (77% success rate), the Portuguese fighter tends to slow down in a fight. That’s prime real estate for a wrestler like Mokaev, who makes his living on wearing his foes down.

Why this fight will be fun

Fans should tune in to see Manel Kape and Muhammad Mokaev for numerous reasons. One, it’s a fight featuring two contrasting styles. One fight (Kape) is an unabashed striker, using quick strikes to pummel his opponents. The other (Mokaev) does his work on the ground, looking for a submission to lock in (one submission attempted per 15 minutes) or to wear his foe down.

It’s also a chance for Mokaev to impress the home crowd. He’ll fight in front of the Manchester faithful, who hope to see their fighter pull out a victory. But can Kape seize a win on the road with his striking style? Or will Mokaev’s wrestling prove to be too much?

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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