This is the live blog for Brandon Royval vs. Manel Kape, the flyweight main event for UFC Vegas 112 on Saturday night at the UFC APEX.
It appears that the third time really will be the charm for Royval and Kape. The two flyweight contenders are have been booked to face each other twice already this year, with each side being forced out due to injury. Now, on Saturday, they finally lock horns in a flyweight division that just crowned a new champion a week ago.
A former UFC flyweight title challenger, Royval rebounded from that loss to Alexandre Pantoja with back-to-back wins and was set up for a probable title eliminator against Kape before that fight fell through. Instead, Joshua Van stepped in for Kape, and Royval lost a unanimous decision, putting him back among the pack of title contenders for the moment.
After losing his first two UFC bouts, Kape went on a run, winning six of his next seven to put himself on the cusp of a title shot. Most recently, Kape finished Asu Almabayev at UFC Vegas 103 in March, putting him back into a fight with Royval, with title implications on the line.
Check out the live blog for de Royval vs. Kape below.
I’m not going to lie to y’all, this has not been the best event. BUT, Kevin Vallejos just brought the energy up with that nasty finish. Now, can Royval and Kape close the show out in style? Let’s hope so.
Kape is first out, and he’s draped in a double flag of Portugal and Angola. He’s dancing his way to the cage, rocking white shorts and an air of supreme comfort. Kape looking like he’s about to deliver a show.
Royval out to “Bulls on Parade” and he looks much more intense than Kape. He is obviously ready to fight as well, marching to the cage in black shorts.
Tale of the Tape and Announcements
Royval is 1 year older, 4 inches taller, but the reach is the same at 68” apiece. Royval is the underdog at +230, with Kape coming in at -285. Bruce Buffer gets things going. the judges are Mike Bell, Eric Colon, and Sal D’Amato. Herb Dean is the referee.
Buffer gets into the introductions. Both men pace back and forth while announced. They meet in the middle for final instructions and touch gloves. It’s go time.
Royval out in southpaw, Kape in orthodox, but he switches stances often, and does immediately. And again. Royval trying to stay long, early, but Kape is backing him up. Royval testing the water with low kicks and lands a nice one that gets Kape to switch again. Kape hand fighting, feinting, and waiting. But Royval lands a paid of kicks, low and then to the body.
Exchange of jabs. Kape getting a bit frozen in there as Royval circles and kicks, circles and kicks. Kape just trying to square him up for a big shot. Kape finally gets his moment, catching a lazy kick and using it to punch in combination, but doesn’t get much off it. Royval out-working him from distance, but did just take a wonky step? Not sure what happened but he’s moving.
OH!!!!!!!!! Kape got Royval to the fence and leapt in with a short right hand on the button! Sent Royval straight to the mat against the fence! Kape on top and Royval looked out! He awake now and trying to defend but Kape pouring on shots and Herb Dean steps in!!!!
Royval is immediately contesting the stoppage and he was defending when it was stopped, but it also looked like he went out twice. Replay shows Royval was close to limp on two occasions, but he was defending when Dean stepped in. Certainly will be a controversial stoppage, but that’s the best performance of Manel Kape’s career nonetheless.
Royval still seems a little upset about the stoppage, but doesn’t have an issue with Kape and they hug it out.
Manel Kape def. Brandon Royval via TKO (punches) at 3:18 of Round 1.
Kape thanks Allah and then his people for showing up to support him.
Now Kape calls for Joshua Van, saying if he didn’t break his feet in July, he’d be champion instead of Van. He then calls himself Van’s “Daddy” and talks some trash, then says he’s happy to fight Van in Houston.
“I’m the best here. I’m the f*cking best.”
“This is beautiful violence, that’s what I do. You guys just step in the cage.”
Kape has like eight other banger lines. He’s really delivering with the post-fight speech, and walks it off by saying he’s the most dangerous man in the division and he’s coming for his belt.
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