Off the back of his high-stakes win tonight in the main event of UFC Vegas 103, Manel Kape has vowed to scoop the flyweight title from the incumbent, Alexandre Pantoja — in fact, claiming he will “steal” the Brazilian star’s crown.
Kape, who entered tonight’s short-notice main event clash with impromptu replacement, Asu Almabayev off the back of a December win over Bruno Gustavo da Silva, turned in his second straight win.
And likely to narrowly move up in the flyweight rankings come next week, Kape scored his second straight third round knockout, felling Almabayev with a series of knees and follow-up strikes at the Octagon fence.
Manel Kape eyes title fight with Alexandre Pantoja after UFC Vegas 103 win
Following his victory tonight, Angolan-born contender, Kape would issue both a warning to the defending, Pantoja — as well as expected next challenger, Kai Kara-France.
“Pay attention (Alexandre) Pantoja and Kai Kara-France,” Manel Kape told during his post-fight interview after UFC Vegas 103. “Be ready, because I’m gonna steal that belt like I steal candy from my daughter.”
He’s looking for that title shot next!
#UFCVegas103 | @ManelKape pic.twitter.com/9ZBPg6NdL1
— UFC (@ufc) March 2, 2025
Himself yet to book his return to action, Pantoja has been continually linked with a pairing against the above-mentioned, Kara-France in recent months, to no avail as of publication, however.
Most recently headlining UFC 310 at the end of last year, the Brazilian racked up the third successful defense of his flyweight crown with a dominant second round rear-naked choke submission win over Japanese star, Kai Asakura.
