Manel Kape looked to make a statement as to why he should be next in line for Alexandre Pantoja and the UFC flyweight championship. And perhaps he's made a case after his finish of Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa.
Kape's path to victory in the fight didn't come without battle scars. Silva landed three low blows on "Starboy" before the halfway point of the fight, resulting in the Brazilian being deducted one point.
Ultimately, that didn't make a difference for Silva. Kape's offense was on full display over the course of the second round, and though Silva landed some power during the third frame, the top 10 contender landed a kick that started a flurry and quickly put "Bulldog" away.
Silva argued (ironically) that the initial kick was a low blow, but it wasn't enough to overturn referee Keith Petersen's original no call.
Kape has now won five of his last six fights and rebounds from his lackluster fight with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 this past July.
Meanwhile, this loss snaps a four-fight win streak that Silva rode into UFC Tampa on.